I Just Want My Heart Back!
by Foxgirl2501
Summary: Kennedreth is the new Arisen, but admist the strange, everyday events and the grand scheme of all things, she just wants her heart back. This parody is the story of her misadventures in Gransys. Now rated M for strong language.
1. The End and the Beginning

**Disclaimer: I do not own Capcom's **_**Dragon's Dogma**_** and, after seeing the ending, I don't want to.**

**This fanfiction is rated T for violence and some strong language. This story also contains popular culture references, since it is a parody.**

* * *

Intro: The End

The scene: A space above the clouds, between the sunrise and the sunset. There is only a stone throne present, along with a robed figure cloaked in light sitting in it. The figure is looking down on the world, looking particularly bored.

Believe it or not, I used to be this hero called "The Arisen". Believe it or not, I used to be a normal, _living_ human being who spent most of her time sleeping on a grassy cliff. Believe it or not, I used to be the Smartass Slacker of Cassardis. Now, I guess I'm something equivalent to the Right Hand of God, and I hate this job. I could actually quit, if I wanted to, but that would mean getting myself killed, _again_, and placing the burden on some other poor soul who most likely doesn't want this job. Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself, so I might as well start from the beginning.

It all started…with the last boring day of my (mortal) life.

* * *

Chapter 1: The Beginning

The scene: a small fishing town with the citizens moving at a slow, steady pace. The day is sunny without a cloud in the sky.

All my life, I lived in a small fishing town called Cassardis, which was also called "the town where nothing ever happens". Though I grew up in a fishing family, I did not fish, since I had little to no patience. Instead, I would wander around outside of town, picking up herbs and flowers and shooting goblins with my bow whenever I felt like it. Aside from goblin hunting, I contribute almost nothing to the town. As far as my hobbies went, all I really like to do is wander around aimlessly and nap whenever I felt like it. Because of my nonchalant, lazy, and sarcastic attitude, I came to call myself the "Smartass Slacker of Cassardis".

In all my twenty years, nothing has ever really happened. Well, there were lizard monsters living in the well, and there were goblins that attacked anyone on the roads outside town, but all of that was just everyday stuff. For twenty years, from my birth to today's date, my life was boring, and that was just the way I liked it. Of course, all those years of boredom had to come an end eventually, and it just had to be today.

On that particular day, I was napping at my favorite spot, the small grassy cliff next to the chapel, when I was waken up by the screams of the whole town. I got up and ran to the marketplace to see what was going on. Odds were, another Saurian crawled out of the well.

Apparently, that was not the case this time around. People were running around like ants, with some of them shouting, "The dragon has come! The dragon has come!"

A loud roar shook the whole town and I turned my head to see just what made that roar. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped as I saw a red dragon flying over the ocean, towards Cassardis. It landed on the beach and started to breathe fire on all that were unfortunate enough to be near it. I turned to the lookout guards for help, but they were busy hiding in barrels.

"You chickenshits!" I yelled at them in a panicked voice. "Do something!"

Of course, they did nothing. I looked at the dragon again and I saw that its attention was focused on some small children, who were being led out of danger by my older cousin, Quina. It turned its body around and it took a step towards them.

I cursed myself for having left my daggers and bow at home. I looked around for a weapon and I found a sword that one of the lookout guards had dropped. I snatched it up and decided to the heroic, and stupid, thing that most heroes do: face the big, bad monster.

Normally, I would run, but my cousin and those children were in danger. I knew I couldn't kill the overgrown lizard, but at least I could get it to focus its attention on me and not on those in immediate danger. I ran past my cousin and the children and I stood in front of the dragon. Somehow, it did not seem to notice me, so I decided to get its attention by whacking at its wrist with the sword.

The dragon stopped in place and looked down at me. I suddenly felt like an insignificant speck in the dragon's presence. I gaped at it, shook my head in disbelief, and bolted towards the shore. I looked over my shoulder and saw that the dragon was following me, and that my cousin and the children were still running until they were at a safe distance. The dragon raised its head and breathed a jet of fire at me. Instead of running from the jet of fire, I ran towards it until I was underneath it and the dragon. The dragon lowered one of its front claws to squash me, but I raised my sword straight up into the air and it pierced the pad of the dragon's claw.

The dragon gave an angry roar and it slapped me forward several feet with its injured claw. I skidded backwards on the sand and I cried out in pain. I tried to get up, but it felt like every bone in my body was broken. As I stared at the cloudless sky, the dragon lowered its head and stared at me with interest. It moved its lips and said some words, but I had no idea what it said. With its foreclaw, it reached for me until one of its nails rested on my chest.

Without warning, my chest exploded. No, it's not figurative, it's literal. My chest really did explode, with blood flying out of my chest like water when a fish jumps back into the sea. I could only stare in shock as the dragon withdrew its claw. In its nail was a glowing heart, _my_ heart, and it was still beating. The dragon brought my heart to its jaws and it dropped it into its open mouth. Having eaten my heart, the dragon flapped its wings and flew off.

I could not believe what had just happened. That dragon… ate…my heart! I tried to breathe, but my lungs would not work. As I stared at the sky, I realized that I was losing consciousness. Great, so now I was dying. For once, I decided to do something heroically stupid, and I wound up getting killed for it. Well, at least Quina and those children are safe.

Somewhere, I could hear Quina shout, "Oh my God! The dragon killed Kennedreth!"

"That bastard!" I heard a man shout.

Then and there, I blacked out, but the story doesn't end there, and this is only the _first_ time I died.

* * *

When I woke up, I found myself on a bed at the chief's house. At first, I thought the whole thing was a dream, that is, until I looked in a nearby mirror.

The thing about me: I'm short, like, a few inches below five feet short. Also, I have short flaming red hair and green eyes. When I looked in that mirror, I expected to see just that: a short twenty year old with flaming red hair and green eyes. Instead, I saw a short twenty year old with flaming red hair, green eyes, and a large scar across her chest. So…all of that wasn't a dream, but if that dragon really took my heart, then I shouldn't even be alive!

I put a hand on the scar, to see if it was real, and I was greeted by a dull ache in my chest, along with a voice in my head.

"If you would face me, the voice echoed, "then take up arms, newly Arisen."

I moved my hand away from the scar. Somehow or another, I think that voice belonged to the dragon. Was it talking to me through the scar? I placed my hand on the scar again and said, "Hello?"

"If you would face me," the voice repeated itself, "then take up arms, newly Arisen."

"I heard you, but why did you take my heart?"

There was no answer. I moved my hand away from the scar, then placed it back on it.

"If you would face me, then take-."

I moved my hand away, then placed it on my scar again.

"If you would face me-."

And again.

"If you-."

I had enough of the voice repeating itself, so I lowered my hand. I realized that it had called me "Arisen", and I couldn't help but think back to some old stories the chief used to tell me and Quina. Arisen were warriors who had their hearts taken out by a dragon, so they had to get them back, or their fates forever remained in the claws of the dragon, oh, and it will destroy the whole world to boot. Arisen were also considered to be heroes of Gransys who did good deeds for its people.

Great, so on some dragon's whim, I am now officially a hero? I did not want to be a hero. As far as heroes went, they always put their lives on the line over the stupidest things, like trying to kill any giant monster they see just because it's a giant monster. I will admit, they do genuine heroic things, like protecting people, but other than that, I think that these heroes have nothing better to do than trying to get themselves killed.

Now, you may have heard about the five stages a person goes through when he or she finds out that he or she is going to die, but that can also apply to other things, like finding out your destiny. These five stages are as follows: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Right now, I'm at stage one: denial.

I did not want to be an Arisen; I wanted to remain Kennedreth, the Smartass Slacker of Cassardis who does nothing but collect herbs and flowers, kill goblins, and being a smartass. On the other hand, the dragon took something that was mine and ate it like an after dinner snack, and I was mad. I know I am too puny to kill it, but at the very least, I wanted to know why it took my heart, as well as give it one hell of a yelling.

Stage two: anger.

I was about to leave the chief's house when I heard voices whispering nearby. I sidled alongside a wall and listened in. I found that it was a short conversation between Quina and the chief.

"She's alive," Quina whispered, "yet her heart remains still!"

"These are dark times indeed." The chief murmured.

I moved away from the wall, walked through the doorway to meet with the two whisperers, and said, "Yes, I'm a zombie, are you going to burn me at the stake now?"

Quina cried out in surprise and hugged me tightly. She said, "I thought you would never wake!"

"So you overheard?" The chief asked. "No, you are not an undead, but looking at that scar, it looks like you are the new Arisen."

I squirmed out of Quina's tight hug and said, "And now I have to go after the dragon, right?"

"You can't!" The worrisome Quina blurted out. "You have already escaped death once, don't go get yourself killed!"

"Coz," I sighed, "I don't want to go either, but I want to know why that lizard took my heart. I'll just ask, then run back home."

"It's not as simple as that," the chief noted, "all Arisen have to defeat the dragon that marked them, if they are to save Gransys and the rest of the world."

"Are you crazy? I can't kill a dragon! I only distracted it so that Quina and those children could get to safety!"

Before anyone could say anything else, I walked to the doorway. Just before I left the house, I said, "I'll confront that dragon, but there's no way I'm fighting it."

No, I have not skipped ahead to stage five: acceptance. I said I would confront that dragon, but I was still unsure of myself.

I went to my house to get my things together. I removed my bloodstained clothing and put on the light armor that I wear on my goblin hunting trips. I grabbed my daggers, bow and quiver, a lantern, and some herbs and berries to eat along the trip. As far as gold went, I only had 500 pieces, which was only enough to buy me a few carrots.

I swear, the duke needs to stop raising taxes.

Anyways, I was all decked out to go. I had no idea where the dragon would be, but the first step in my little quest would be to leave Cassardis. I strode out the door and briskly walked up to the front gate.

Just as I was about to leave, however, a hole appeared in the air in front of me and a man dropped out of it. As soon as he landed on the ground, the hole in the air vanished as fast as it had appeared. He faced me and showed me the palm of his right hand, which had a glowing scar on it. Judging by the scar on his hand, this "man" was actually a pawn. Based on the robes he wore, he was also a mage. Supposedly, pawns looked like humans, but unlike them, they have no emotions and they come from another dimension called "the Rift". I have heard that pawns are mostly there to help out the Arisen, yet I've heard of pawns that live out their own lives in Gransys.

"Uh…" I tried to find something to say. Just what could I say to a pawn who just dropped out of the air? I finally said, "Hello?"

"Follow me, Arisen." With that abrupt greeting said, the mage ran down the path that led out of Cassardis.

"Wait a minute!" I called back. I ran after him, shouting, "I don't even know your name!"

Instead of giving me his name, he said, "The Encampment is this way."

Near Cassardis, there was an Encampment that was home to warriors that fought monsters and accepted local requests. I have been there a few times, but I have not found much there that interested me. On the way to the Encampment, I kept asking and repeating questions to the pawn, none of which he answered.

And therein begins the misadventures of Kennedreth, the Smartass Slacker of Cassardis.

* * *

**Next time, Kennedreth fights a Cyclops and gets a Main Pawn.**

Chapter 2: The Pawns (excerpt)

Why did that dragon take my heart? Why couldn't it have taken someone else's heart instead? I'm the last adult in Cassardis that would be selected as hero of the world. I placed my hand over the scar again and asked, "Why me?"

"If you would face me," the dragon's voice said, "then take up arms, newly Arisen."

"Well," I moved my hand away from the scar, "you're no help."

I heard a light tapping on my window and I turned my head to see what it was. Staring at me through the window was Quina. I walked up to the window, opened it, and asked, "What is it?"

"I wanted to see how you were faring, coz." She said with a look of concern on her face.

"You were right, Quina," I lowered my head, "I can't face the dragon."

"What made you change your mind so quickly?"


	2. The Pawns

**No, I do not own Capcom's **_**Dragon's Dogma**_**.**

* * *

Chapter 2: The Pawns

The scene: a settlement with tall, pointed logs for walls. There are pawns and soldiers wandering about and there are several white tents set up.

The moment I stepped through the gates of the Encampment, I heard several voices speak, "Well met, young Arisen. Can you hear our voice?"

I looked around every which way, but there was no one talking to me. I asked the pawn that led me here, "Did you hear that?"

"This way, Arisen." He walked off.

As I followed him to a large tent, I said to the pawn, "You know, it doesn't hurt to have manners."

The pawn seemed to ignore me as we reached the back of the tent. In it was a rock with blue writing and a swirl on it. Curious as to why there was a rock in a tent, I walked up to it and brushed my fingers lightly on its surface.

"Well met, Arisen." The same voices from earlier spoke up. "Can you hear our voice?"

"You don't have to repeat yourselves twice." I said. I realized that I was talking to a rock.

"We speak to you across a great distance. The pawn legion has awaited you. Pray, forgive this strange and impersonal greeting."

"I'll say." I mumbled.

"This rift serves as a gate that connects our kind to your world. It opens to the Arisen, for they possess the will powerful enough to guide the legion. If you would claim to be among the Arisen, prove the strength of your resolve."

" 'Will powerful enough to guide the legion'? Sorry, I may be an Arisen, but I can't go around leading armies! You're going to have to find someone-."

"Very well. Then we shall guide you in your trial. If you are an Arisen in truth, this humble task will prove no obstacle."

I gaped and backed away from the rock. Did these voices not hear what I had just said? I was about to protest when the voices continued, "The Arisen must possess the valor to stand against all threats, and the power to quell them. A tireless spirit of self-improvement grants the strength to lead the legion. Pray, show it now."

I blurted out, "Listen here, I told you I'm an Arisen, but I don't have any of these qualities! I'm the Smartass Slacker of Cassardis, not a hero! It wasn't my choice to be an Arisen!"

Before I could say anything more, there came sudden shouts from outside the tent. Wondering what was happening _now_, me and my pawn ran out of the tent to see what all the commotion was about. There were warriors running out of the second gate of the Encampment, with some of them shouting things along the lines of, "The monster must be stopped!"

"This way, Arisen!" The pawn shouted as he ran after the warriors.

"Are you kidding me?" I shouted back. How could a monster show up, _right after the voices said I needed to prove myself_? I shook my head. I had already died once today, and I was not going to do it again anytime soon.

I was about to leave through the other exit when a guilty thought crossed my mind. I was somewhat of a good fighter, even if I didn't care to fight, so I should be able to help out. I cursed my guilty conscious as I followed the last of the warriors out of the other exit. What I saw caused me to gape.

Standing tall and ugly a few yards away from the gate was a Cyclops. Many warriors were either hacking away at its ankles, climbing on its back to whack at its head, or were shooting arrows at its eye, and with that thing rampaging about, their numbers were dwindling quickly. I knew that I was way out of my league, and that it would be best if I let all these guys kill the thing.

Somewhere in the fray, I saw that one pawn standing off to the side, healing anyone who was unfortunate enough to get clubbed by the Cyclops with his magic. He noticed me and he shouted, "You must shoot the eye!"

"Alright already!" I took out my bow and nocked an arrow.

Seeing that the eye was such a big target, I had no problems shooting an arrow at it. For some reason, it was my shot, and not anyone else's, that caused the Cyclops to stagger and drop to its knees. The warriors surrounded the beast and unleashed a flurry of attacks on its hide. Within seconds, the Cyclops was dead. Everyone present cheered for their victory, except me. As far as the situation went, I barely contributed to anything.

The pawn ran past me, saying, "Let's head back to the riftstone, Arisen."

"What?" I ran after the pawn. "Do you ever take a break?"

He led me back to the tent, where the stone was unchanged.

"With that," the voices said, "your trial is complete. You are an Arisen in truth, proven beyond any doubt."

"I only shot one arrow," I protested, "and that wasn't even the finishing blow! How does _that_ prove that I am an Arisen?"

"You have already displayed the will and courage to fight-."

"Just like the dozens of warriors who killed the Cyclops. Do you have anything new to add?"

"Now, I bid you to select a companion for the journey ahead. They shall serve you and you alone, to share in your hardships and aid you in every endeavor."

Everything went dark and, the next thing I knew, I was standing in the middle of a dark void with blue fog covering the ground. I looked every which way for some way out, but there was none.

"Hoy!" I called out to the voices. "Where am I?"

"This is the Rift," the voices said, "our home."

"Well," I folded my arms, "this place looks pretty boring, and how is this your home if no one is here?"

"Now, what do you want your main pawn to be?"

"Uh…a guy?"

From the distance, many male pawns shrouded in blue light stepped forward. They all stopped in front of me and gave me blank stares. The pawns came in all sizes, colors, weights, and occupations, and I was pretty sure that no two pawns were exactly alike. As far as how many there were, well…I would guess…more thab everyone in Gransys. I might be exaggerating here, but at least there are more pawns than hte men in the duke's grand army. I knew that I would have to narrow my search down.

"And I want a warrior." I added.

All striders and mages turned around and left. However, there were still too many pawns present.

"And he has to be tall."

All pawns of short and medium height left.

"And…uh…not so much weight on his midsection."

All bulky pawns left.

"And blue eyes…" I went on. "…_dark_ blue eyes… and short, blond hair…make that short, _frizzy_ blond hair… uh, no crooked noses or freckles, please…oh, and I want him to be in his twenties…and, uh…" I was running out of things to say. "…how about a five o'clock shadow?"

In truth, all of these descriptions made up what I had always imagined my dream guy to be. Yes, just like almost every girl in the world, I have my own image of the perfect guy. Anyways, after a few minutes of this awkward process of elimination, there were still several pawns present.

At this point, I just shrugged, pointed at one pawn, and said, "You."

Everything went dark again and, after a few seconds, me and my pawn were back in the tent. He raised his hand to show me the scar on the palm of his hand, then he and the other pawn dropped to their knees. The mage pawn lifted his head and said, "Our fealty is sworn to you, Arisen. From this day, the legions called 'pawns' live and die by your command."

I stared at the two pawns with some surprise. I couldn't believe they were kneeling before _me_, the Smartass Slacker of Cassardis. Of course, in their eyes, they only saw the Arisen. I felt like this was all getting too ridiculous for me. I shook my head and said, "No. Get up, both of you. Just because a dragon stole my heart and I fired one arrow at a Cyclops does not mean that I'm a hero. I'm sorry, but I'm going home."

I walked past the two pawns and made my way out of the Encampment. I suddenly felt stupid for wanting to go after the dragon. Quina was right: I would only get myself killed…again. Just when I arrived at the front gates of Cassardis, I heard a voice ask, "This is your hometown, is it not, Arisen?"

I turned around and saw that the two pawns had followed me. I gave a frustrated sigh and asked, "Why are you following me?"

"We are sworn to serve you, Arisen." The main pawn said.

"Don't flatter me, and don't call me 'Arisen' either. I'm not going after that dragon."

"But thou must, if you are to save Gransys." The mage said.

I walked through the gates of my hometown and groaned, "Find someone else to save the world."

I only took a few steps forward when I heard an unfamiliar voice say, "Ah, the venerable Arisen returns…"

I turned my head to the direction of the voice and I saw a figure in a brown robe and hood standing off to the side. He asked, "Are you come to lead the pawns in a quest to slay the dragon? Those equivocal _husks_?"

"Uh, no." I simply shook my head.

"Will or nill, the Arisen is always drawn to the dragon, as puppets strung on fate's own thread. Many have come before you, eager to stand atop the grand capstone of worldly truth that is the dragon…"

I did not like the way this guy was talking. I said, "Well, it just so happens that I've decided not to follow the dragon anymore. Unlike any other Arisen in the past, I actually value my hide."

"Arrogance!" The robed man snapped. "The dragon is ever born anew into the world, and with it too, the Arisen. All Arisen seek out the dragon-."

"Not me."

"…but lucky are the few who attain an audience with the beast…while they yet live."

The man lifted his head up and I could see his face. His face was wrinkled, his eyes were bright, and the teeth in his grin were rotten. You could take one look at this guy and immediately tell that he was a bad guy.

"Ours is a weak, fragile world," he went on, "and little within it is more frail than man. In yon Encampment," he pointed towards the direction of the Encampment, "they gather up their knights and hired steel. They think to grow their numbers and hunt the dragon, but they shall soon learn…their lot will e'er be as prey."

With a slight stagger in his step, the man left Cassardis. I narrowed my eyes and muttered, "Creep."

Looking at the sky now, I saw that it was getting close to sunset. I figured that I would just sleep at my house for the night and do nothing from there. On the way home, I passed by the chief. Slightly surprised to see me back already, he jokingly asked, "Homesick already?"

"No," I answered, "I'm just going home for the day."

"So you'll start your journey tomorrow?"

"I'm not going on any journey."

The pawns stared at me, and the chief said to me, "You can't run away from your destiny as the Arisen, Kennedreth."

"But I'm not a fighter!" I protested.

Before anyone could protest, I ran to my house, opened the door, ran inside, and locked the door. I could hear the two pawns calling me from the other side of the door, but I ignored them. I walked slowly to my room and I removed my weapons and armor. I walked over to the fireplace and lit a fire. I sat in front of the fire for several minutes, replaying the events of today in my head over and over.

Stage three: bargaining.

Why did that dragon take my heart? Why couldn't it have taken someone else's heart instead? I'm the last adult in Cassardis that would be selected as hero of the world. I placed my hand over the scar again and asked, "Why me?"

"If you would face me," the dragon's voice said, "then take up arms, newly Arisen."

"Well," I moved my hand away from the scar, "you're no help."

I heard a light tapping on my window and I turned my head to see what it was. Staring at me through the window was Quina. I walked up to the window, opened it, and asked, "What is it?"

"I wanted to see how you were faring, coz." She said with a look of concern on her face.

"You were right, Quina," I lowered my head, "I can't face the dragon."

"What made you change your mind so quickly?"

I relayed the events that had happened at the Encampment to my cousin. Mostly, my concern was my inability to fight large monsters, like the Cyclops, and I was worried about getting killed in battle. I just didn't want to throw away my life fighting something I can't defeat.

Stage four: depression.

"Kennedreth," Quina reached her arm through the window and rested her hand on my shoulder, "did those thoughts cross your mind when you came to save me and the little ones?"

"Of course." I said.

"Then why did you rush in to fight the dragon?"

"I wanted to save you and those children. I didn't want you to die."

"Then I know you can muster the courage to fight the dragon."

Before I could ask, Quina explained, "If you care for the world as much as you care for everyone in Cassardis, then you can summon the courage to save it."

"But what if I die?" I asked. "Before you say anything, coz, I want you to know that I'm not afraid of failing, I'm afraid of dying."

The next thing I knew, I was ranting about my fear of death. I know that everyone questions death, and I was still in that questioning phase of my life. I didn't know what happens after death, and I didn't want anyone to mourn over me after I die. I just wish that everyone could live forever so that we wouldn't have to grieve and worry about death.

"Everyone dies eventually." Quina gave me the obvious reminder.

"But if I go after that dragon," I continued to protest, "then I'll just be throwing my life away!"

"Kennedreth!" My cousin suddenly snapped. "I don't want you to die either, but the elder is right: the world is at stake here! I have to stop being selfish, and you need to do the same."

I couldn't believe she had just said that. She removed her hand from my shoulder and she backed away from the window. I closed the window, shut the curtains, and I turned my back to her. She was right about everything, but I didn't want to admit it. I crawled into bed and thought for hours until I fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, I decided to give the whole hero thing another shot. Why the sudden change of mind? Well, apart from the feeling of guilt from last night's conversation, if the world was destroyed, then I would no longer be able to do the things I like to do, like napping on the cliff by the chapel. Aye, the reasoning was anticlimactic, but what else can you expect from me? Also, I'm still not forgiving that dragon for taking my heart and dragging me into this whole mess.

Stage five: acceptance, for now, at least.

I got dressed and walked out of my house. To my surprise, the two pawns were waiting for me right outside the door. I asked, "How long have you been out here?"

"Since you shut us out, Arisen." The mage simply answered.

"But…didn't you guys get any sleep?"

"None at all." The main pawn answered.

"Well," I sighed, "I've decided to play Arisen a little while longer, _but_ before we leave, can I at least have your names? Especially you." I pointed at the mage.

"Forgive me for not telling you sooner," the mage lowered his head, "I am called Rook."

I turned to the main pawn and said, "Let me guess, your name is Bishop?"

"If that is to be my name." The main pawn said.

"No no, I was just joking. I want to know your name."

"I have no name, but you may call me whatever you wish."

I thought for a minute, then said, "Aiken."

"Aiken?"

"You know, like in that children's rhyme? You just look like an Aiken to me." I took a few steps towards the gate of Cassardis and said to the pawns, "Well, I guess we go back to the Encampment."

"Then let us be off, Arisen." Rook suddenly bolted off towards the gate.

How could this pawn have so much energy after not sleeping for at least a day? Aiken bolted after him with the same energy Rook had. I followed shortly behind, with me shouting, "Hoy you guys, wait up!"

* * *

**Next time, Kennedreth fights a Hydra and goes to Gran Soren.**

Chapter 3: The Capital (excerpt)

"Rift Crystals can be found in your world," the pawn continued to explain, "either earned from quests that you do or from monsters that carry them."

"But how did they end up in my pocket without me knowing about it?"

The pawn paused before saying, "I fear I do not have the answer to that, Arisen."

I decided that it would be best not to question the matter further, so I held out my hand full of crystals and asked, "Will this cover your fee?"

The pawn examined the little crystals carefully, and he picked out a few. He bowed his head and said, "I am at your service. I am called OneBigFurby."

My eyes widened and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. Strangely, none of the other pawns turned to stare at my sudden outburst of laughter. I eventually calmed down and asked, "What kind of name is that?"

"It is the name that my original master gave me." The pawn said, apparently not offended by my laughter.


	3. The Capital

**Disclaimer: for the third time, I do not own Capcom's **_**Dragon's Dogma**_**.**

**At times, characters won't be speaking in the game's tongue. That is because I cannot quite grasp the usage of the old tongue. The lines I **_**do**_** get right are straight from the game.**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Capital

The scene: the Encampment, where many of the buildings are in shambles. Many people are fighting a giant, four-headed snake in the middle of the Encampment.

I gaped at the sight before us. Just yesterday, the Encampment was attacked by a Cyclops, now it was being attacked by a hydra? This place has the worst luck. Aiken took out his sword and shield and Rook took out his staff. While Rook kept his distance, Aiken ran forward, yelling, "We must cut off its heads!"

There was no way I was getting near that thing. I drew out my bow and fired an arrow at one of the heads. However, the arrow only bounced off the scales. Rook looked at me and shouted, "Arrows do naught against the hydra! Cut off its heads!"

I put away my bow and drew out my daggers. I looked at the hydra and saw Aiken scaling one of its long necks. During his climb, he lost his grip and he fell off the giant snake. I inhaled deeply, let out a loud sigh, and ran at the Hydra.

I jumped at the nearest neck and plunged my daggers into it. I scaled up the neck with the help of my daggers until I reached the head. I embedded one of the daggers into the hydra's head and held onto it for support while I hacked away with the other dagger. The head bucked back and forth like a rampaging ox and I hung on for dear (lifeless) self.

"Help me!" I heard a familiar cry.

I turned my head and saw that the head next to me had Aiken in its jaws, and he was desperately trying to pry them apart. Upon seeing him in danger, my concentration slipped and I was sent flying straight up in the air by the head I was on.

Being several yards in the air, I hollered as I started to fall head first. Somehow, I landed right on top of the second head of the hydra and I was about to roll off when I stuck my daggers into its neck. I still fell off, but not before making a long gash down its neck. As I landed on my rear, I saw that the second head seemed to pop off from the body like a cork from a bottle. The three remaining heads gave hisses of what sounded like annoyance and the hydra slithered off into the forest.

Wondering if Aiken was still in the jaws of the second head, I ran up to it. I stared at the head and I couldn't believe that I was the one who severed it. In fact, the head seemed to come off _too_ easily, much like a lizard's tail. The jaws were currently closed, and I saw no sign of Aiken.

Without warning, the head suddenly opened its mouth and gave a long, angry hiss at me. In its mouth, I thought I could see the upper half of a person. Before I could try to reach him, the jaws closed for the last time. On its forehead, a red symbol appeared, then disappeared again. However, I only glanced at the symbol as I now noticed a pair of legs sticking out of the severed side of the hydra's head. I ran over to the other side, grabbed hold of one leg…

…and I was greeted by a back kick to the chin.

I stumbled backwards and I was about to land on my back when someone caught me. I looked up and saw that it was Rook. He said, "I got you, Arisen."

"Thanks." I muttered as I got back to my feet. I rubbed my chin and it stung to the touch. I moved my lower jaw to the sides a few times and, though it hurt, it still worked. I looked at the legs and I now saw that the person inside was trying to wiggle out from the severed side of the head. I stomped back over to the legs and told Rook, "Help me out here."

We kept our distance as we each grabbed a leg. On the count of three, we tugged and pulled the person out of the head. We rolled him on his back and we recognized him as Aiken. He took several gasps of air and he sat up. Other than being covered in Hydra saliva, he seemed fine. He looked at us and said, "Thank you both." He then turned to me and asked, "Are you all right, Arisen?"

I couldn't believe he was asking me that, right after I just fished him out of a hydra's head. My smartass attitude kicked in and I answered, "No, you kicked my chin when I tried to help you."

"I apologize, master," Aiken lowered his head, "I thought something else was trying to get me."

"Well, it was an accident," I winced in pain as I moved my lower jaw to talk, "but next time I pull you out of a severed hydra's head, don't do it again, _please_."

"I will remember that, Arisen."

I heard footsteps approaching us and I turned my head to see who it was. Dressed in shiny plate armor and a white cape was a woman with a sword and shield at her side. She had short black hair and a tan, and she wore a look of seriousness on her face. Following close behind her were several soldiers.

"I am impressed." The woman said with a slight accent in her voice.

The soldiers started gathering around the head and started talking amongst themselves. The woman walked up to me and said, "Ancient tales of the Arisen are well and good, friend, but make a gift of this head to the duke," a smile spread across her face, "and you might earn yourself a real title."

"Aye," I looked over the head, "the duke is quite the collector of taxidermied beasts, but how do I bring the head to him?"

"My men and I will escort the cart that will carry the head to the duke. I had hoped to bring more recruits back to the capital, but I believe the Arisen and a hydra's head will make up for it."

"That's real kind of you, considering we have only met this one time."

"Ah yes, I have heard some things about you, but you do not know me. I am Mercedes, captain of the recruitment group in the Encampment." She offered her hand forward, "May I have the honor of hearing the Arisen's name?"

"Kennedreth." I took her hand and shook it.

"Tis a pleasure talking with you, but now I have to help my men load the head. Rest awhile and we'll meet up at the southern waycastle."

"A rest sounds like a good idea." After all that excitement, I'd at least like a breather before moving on.

Ser Mercedes walked up to her men and started talking to them about loading up the hydra's head. I walked over to the big tent, the one with the riftstone in it, and sat on a bench. Instead of sitting down next to me, Rook and Aiken stood next to me, staring at me with blank expressions. I asked, "Care to sit?"

"I am fine, Arisen." Rook said.

"Likewise so, master." Aiken said.

I wondered when was the last time these pawns sat down, if at all. I thought back to the fight with the hydra, then I remembered that Creep from yesterday. He talked about the Encampment like it would be in danger, and this morning, the hydra was attacking the place. I highly doubt this was all just a coincidence.

Still, the fight itself was somewhat exciting. In fact, even minutes after the fight, my heart was still pound…oh wait, I nearly forgot that the dragon plucked my heart out of my chest. I put a hand over my chest and now noticed the absent beating that I became so familiar with throughout my whole, carefree life. I quickly moved my hand away before the message the dragon left behind could repeat itself.

I've heard of people who could still feel their limbs shortly after they lost them, maybe this was the case with my heart. A minute ago, I thought I could feel my heart beating again, but I guess it was little more than an echo. For a moment, I wondered if any other Arisen in the past have also felt this phantom heartbeat in their chests, but my scatterbrained mind quickly went on to another thought.

I looked to the pawns and figured that two were not enough to help me on my little quest. As crazy as the idea sounded, I think I should go ask the rock for help. I stood up, walked over to the riftstone, and placed a hand on it, saying, "I need more pawns to help me."

Again, I was teleported to the black void where the pawns resided. This time around, there were a few pawns wandering about aimlessly. There were some striders, some mages, and some fighters, some male, some female, some big, some small, some skinny, some…not so skinny, and so on. I saw a large, husky male fighter and I approached him.

He turned to face me and asked in a deep voice, "Yes, Arisen?"

"Do you mind coming with me on my quest to find the dragon?" I asked bluntly.

"It will be an honor to accompany you, provided you pay the necessary Rift Crystals."

I gave the pawn a confused stare. I asked, "What…are Rift Crystals?"

"They are fragments from the Rift," the pawn explained, "that bring us pawns to your world. The stronger the pawn, the more Rift Crystals are required to summon him or her."

"But I don't have any on me."

"Maybe you should check your pockets, Arisen."

I did what the pawn said and started searching the pockets in my vest and pants. During the search, I said, "I'm telling you, I don't have any…"

In my vest pocket, I felt many little rough things that weren't there before. I fished them out and saw that they were pieces of purple stones. I asked, "How did they get there?"

"Rift Crystals can be found in your world," the pawn continued to explain, "either earned from quests that you do or from monsters that carry them."

"But how did they end up in my pocket without me knowing about it?"

The pawn paused before saying, "I fear I do not have the answer to that, Arisen."

I decided that it would be best not to question the matter further, so I held out my hand full of crystals and asked, "Will this cover your fee?"

The pawn examined the little crystals carefully, and he picked out a few. He bowed his head and said, "I am at your service. I am called OneBigFurby."

My eyes widened and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. Strangely, none of the other pawns turned to stare at my sudden outburst of laughter. I eventually calmed down and asked, "What kind of name is _that_?"

"It is the name that my original master gave me." The pawn said, apparently not offended by my laughter.

"Master?" I was now curious. "You serve another?"

"There are many worlds beyond the Rift, and all of them have Arisen. When I am not serving my master, I serve other Arisen."

To be honest, I have never thought of the possibility of other worlds besides the Rift. Judging by what the pawn said, it sounded like all of these worlds are similar to ours. Curiosity got the best of me and I asked, "What are these other worlds like?"

"They are all almost exactly the same as yours," OneBigFurby said, "and they all have Arisen in them."

"How many of these worlds are out there?"

"Too many to count, I fear."

"Is it possible to go to them?"

"Only the pawns can cross the Rift into other worlds. I must say, master, out of all the other Arisen I have served, you are by far the most inquisitive."

"Of course! Don't these other Arisen ask you the same things?"

"Never."

I could not believe what I was hearing. Were the other Arisen in all of these other worlds dumb as bricks? How could any of them _not_ question the possibility of seeing and knowing these other worlds? The pawn interrupted my thoughts by saying, "If I were to be in your position, I would not tell anyone in your world about this."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Tis just…best not to."

That one pawn was hiding something, but I did not feel like pressing the matter. I spotted another pawn, a female strider of a slender stature, and I approached her. She looked at me and asked, "Yes, Arisen?"

"I need your help." I held out the crystals for her to see.

"I cannot join you unless you dismiss another pawn."

I paused before asking, "Excuse me?"

"Only two support pawns can accompany you, along with your main pawn."

"But…what about the whole talk about me leading armies? How am I to face the dragon with only three pawns at my side?"

"I am sorry, Arisen, but this is the way it must be." The female pawn said nonchalantly.

"But-!"

"I am sorry."

I gave a frustrated sigh and turned away from the pawn. I saw a riftstone behind me and I strode up to it. I knocked on its surface and asked, "Why can't I have more than three pawns at my side?"

There was no answer from the rock. I knocked again, asking, "Hello? Voices? Are you there?"

There was still no answer. I asked, "Well, can you at least take me out of here?"

With no warning signs whatsoever, I was now back in the tent at the Encampment, along with OneBigFurby. I pocketed the Rift Crystals and looked over the three pawns I had with me. There was Rook, the mage, Aiken, the fighter and main pawn, and OneBigFurby the fighter. I looked at the last pawn and asked, "Do you have a nickname or something? I don't want anyone laughing at your name."

"My master has given me the moniker 'Sam'." The pawn answered.

"Sam sounds like a better name to me."

"You may call me by my moniker, if you wish."

I walked out of the tent and noticed that the hydra's head was gone. I couldn't believe they moved the head already. I decided that now was a good time to go to the southern waycastle to meet up with Mercedes. My group walked out of the second exit of the Encampment and, this time around, I got to take the lead.

* * *

One thing I quickly learned about the pawns: they are very talkative. I cannot walk five yards without one of the pawns saying some random thing. I forget most of what they point out, but they fall along the lines of: "The duke can stand to commission some new roads." or "There should be ore among the crags." and even "We share the roads with travelers, merchants, and other such folk."

Along the way, not only did I have to put up with my pawns' constant talking, but we also had to fight a ridiculous number of goblins, bandits, and wolves, and even then, my companions wouldn't stop shouting miscellaneous stuff.

"Look out! A goblin!" One would say.

"Goblins are fearsome in large numbers!" Another would say.

"Wolves hunt in packs!" Yet another would say.

In between fights, we would pick up bits of gold, herbs, and apples from the nearby trees. While I collected the useful stuff, the pawns would pick up things from regular rocks to goblin horns. I actually expected them to say things along the lines of "Apples are nutritious fruit." or "Everywhere you look, there are rocks to be found.", but surprisingly, they said no such things.

Finally, after what seemed like a very long time, we finally reached the southern waycastle. Waiting for us at the gate were Ser Mercedes and a few of her men. Behind them was a cart and ox, with the hydra's head tied up and resting on the cart.

Mercedes approached me and asked, "I trust you rested well?"

"I thought we'd go to the capital today, so that the duke's precious head doesn't rot." I simply said.

Mercedes gave an approving nod and she turned to her men. She said, "We head to the capital, men. Like it or not, the cart will draw beasts along the way. Stay vigilant, but fear not, we walk with the Arisen, slayer of hydras!"

"Uh, excuse me," I tried to interrupt, "but I didn't kill the hydra, it just ran away-."

The men present cheered for me, and my words went unheard. The gate opened up and the ox slowly drew the cart forward. As we started our slow walk to the capital, I asked Ser Mercedes, "Don't you think we need more than one ox to pull the cart?"

"Tis the only ox we have," Mercedes said, "or are you volunteering to pull the cart too?"

"Never mind." I quickly said. I think I was starting to like this captain.

Almost immediately after we left, we were attacked by harpies. Some of them swooped over us, singing, "OoooooOooooohhhh!" For some reason, that annoying "OoooooOooooohhhh" actually made Rook, Sam, and some of Ser Mercedes's men fall asleep. I guess their singing was that bad. I silenced the harpies with my bow and I proceeded to wake up my companions.

"Wake up." I slapped Rook's face.

Rook woke up to that and he got to his feet. I saw Aiken walk up to Sam and gently shake him awake. I looked to the men that have fallen asleep and I saw Mercedes wake them up by yelling in their ears. After that little skirmish, we continued down the trail until we were walking in an open tunnel in a mountain.

We passed by a rocky cliff with a few dead trees and several more harpies. Again, I fired arrows, Rook fired fireballs out of his staff, and everyone else tried waving their swords in the air in hopes of getting a single hit on one of the harpies. At one point, one harpy glided over me and said, "OoooooOooooohhhh."

Sleepiness overcame me and I muttered, "So…boring…" before I plopped onto the ground and fell asleep.

"Wake up!" I heard Ser Mercedes shout in my ear.

I woke up with a start and found that everyone was still fighting the harpies. I took out my bow and I helped finish them off. With them out of the way, the long walk continued. At one point, I looked over the cliff and saw a large city in the distance. I asked Ser Mercedes, "Is that Gran Soren?"

"That is the capital." She said. "Have you never been there before, Kennedreth?"

"No. I've never been beyond the Encampment before."

"Then there is much you have not seen."

"Aye…"

I do not lie: I have never been beyond the Encampment before. All my life, I've lived in Cassardis, doing nothing really productive. The few times I've visited the Encampment, I did not find much of interest. Beyond the Encampment, everything is new to me. I have fought goblins and a few wolves in the past, but even though I had read about cyclopses, hydras, and harpies, I have never fought any of them before until just yesterday. As far as bandits went, I had killed one one time before, and I felt no satisfaction from killing him, even if it was in self-defense. Killing bandits now, there is not as much guilt as before, since they were threatening my life just because I'm walking down an everyday path.

Anyways, more harpies and goblins later, we were now leaving the mountain, and we saw that the sun was starting to set. Up ahead, we could see the capital, and we were now on the path that led straight towards it. During all of these fights, we had used up all of our herbs and healing items, and we were all tired (except for the pawns, who never really seem to tire).

Just when we were getting close to the front gate of the capital, we heard a rough voice shout, "Get 'im!"

"Bandits!" The ever-shouting Sam pointed out the painfully obvious.

"Of course!" I shouted back as I took out my daggers.

Now, I could understand harpies and goblins wanting to attack us so they can eat some hour old hydra head, but why would bandits attack us now? Did the thought that we were the ones who killed the hydra _not _cross their minds? Either way, we all made short work of them, but fatigue was getting the better of me. My legs started to wobble and I was taking in many shallow breaths. After severing one hydra head, fighting hordes of monsters and bandits, and walking for who knows how long, of course I was tired.

At long last, we reached the front gate. Ser Mercedes looked to her men and, seeing no casualties, said, "Good work men! Tonight, the rooms are on me!" She turned to me and said, "Of course, that goes for you and your pawns too, Kennedreth."

"Thank you." I gave an exhausted sigh.

The gate opened up and the tired ox continued to pull the cart. Upon seeing the hydra's head on the cart, the city folk gasped and started to talk amongst themselves. As we walked through the gates of Gran Soren, I couldn't help but notice that there were only slightly more people here than in Cassardis. I asked out loud, "There aren't as many people as I'd imagined there be."

"It _is_ usually livelier." Rook murmured.

"I think the panic over the dragon has left a big impact on the capital's people." Mercedes said in a low voice. She turned to her men and told them, "Take the head to the duke. I'll catch up to you soon."

She walked away from the cart and she led me and my pawns to an inn. The man behind the counter lifted his head up and his eyes lit up. He exclaimed, "Ser Mercedes! You are back! How are you faring?"

"I am fine." Mercedes fished out some gold and dropped it on the counter. She said, "One room for the Arisen and her pawns."

"Arisen? You mean _the_ Arisen?" The man looked at me and asked, "_You_ are the Arisen?"

"That's what everyone calls me." I shrugged.

"I must say, you look…"

"Small?"

"Er…plain, to be the Arisen."

"What did you expect me to look like, a big, tall man with feathered hair that blows in the wind?"

Mercedes chuckled at this while the man said, "Forgive me, I should not say such things."

"I was joking around on my part, too." I quickly said.

"Well, four beds for the night. Your room is to your right. Enjoy your night."

"I'll see you in the morning." Ser Mercedes said to me before she left.

I walked into the room next to the front counter and I saw four beds set up. I removed my weapons and armor, leaving only my everyday clothes to wear for the night. I plopped onto the bed and I found it to be extremely soft. I looked to the pawns and saw that they were not getting on their beds. I said, "You have _got_ to be tired, after all that happened today."

"We pawns do not require sleep," Aiken said, "but if you want us to rest on the beds, we can do that."

I found that hard to believe. Truly, these guys were not human. I said slowly, "Aye…but Aiken?"

"Yes, Arisen?"

I got out of bed, walked up to him, sniffed his face, and said, "You smell like a hydra with bad breath. Can you at least take a bath before you turn in for the night?"

"I find that to be a good idea, Arisen."

* * *

**Next time, Kennedreth visits the Pawn Guild and goes underneath Gran Soren.**

**Notice: I will be making up pawns as I go along with the story. If there are any out there that fit the exact descriptions and names, it is purely coincidental (I would actually be amazed if there was a big, husky fighter male with a deep voice by the name of OneBigFurby). To make sure that there are no coincidental matches, I will be making all of these pawns stand out in some ridiculous nature.**

Chapter 4: The Guild (excerpt)

I opened the door with a flourish and saw that there were stairs leading down into darkness. I took out my handy dandy lantern and lit it. I expected the pawns to do the same thing, but they did not. I pointed to the darkness below and said, "You know you are going to need lanterns, right?"

"We have naught on us but herbs, master." Rook shook his head.

I gave a frustrated sigh. I had no gold left to buy the rest of my group lanterns. Well, maybe there was a chance of finding some gold down below. I hooked the lantern to my belt and told the group, "Stay close; this is the only light we have."

I took a step down, quickly lost my footing, and I tumbled down the stairs. Upon landing on the ground, my lantern was smashed and the light went out. I groaned in both pain and frustration. I heard footsteps running towards my direction and I felt someone help me up.

"Are you all right, Arisen?" I heard Aiken ask.

"Forget what I said earlier," I grumbled, "we have no light _and_ I have a headache."

"Tis fortunate that you did not break your neck."

"Aye, it wouldn't look good in the history books…"


	4. The Guild

**Herein on this day, I say that I do not own Capcom's **_**Dragon's Dogma**_**.**

* * *

Chapter 4: The Guild

The scene: the somewhat busy marketplace of Gran Soren. The sun is just rising and the air is cool. Outside of the inn, Ser Mercedes is meeting up with the redheaded midget that is the Arisen.

"How did his Grace like the head?" I asked.

"He seemed most pleased with it." Mercedes said. "He said that he will send someone to you shortly. In the meantime, sojourn in the capital for a while."

With that said, Ser Mercedes walked off. At first, I wondered what I could do in the capital of Gransys, then the thought of breakfast crossed my mind. My pawns and I went back into the inn and I had a breakfast of berries and hot cakes. I guess that pawns don't really eat to satiate their hunger, as none of my companions sat down to eat. The only time I saw them eat was when they ate herbs to heal up. Oh well, more hot cakes for me, then.

After breakfast, I asked my pawns, "So, what now?"

"Ah, fortune smiles upon me." An unfamiliar voice spoke up. "Well met, Ser Arisen."

I turned my head and saw a dark man in orange clothing standing at the doorway to the eating area. I simply asked, "Can I help you?"

The man walked up to me and said, "I am called Mason."

"Kennedreth."

"I could not help but overhear your words, ser. You've come to the capital a conquering hero, you need aught to do, eh? My word to you: inquire the pawns here at Gran Soren."

"Any particular reason why?"

"Their kind's woven tight into the fate of the Arisen. If you'd know your destiny, know them."

Without another word, Mason turned around and started to leave. Something about him seemed wrong, so I stood up and shouted, "Hoy, wait!"

He stopped where he was and turned around to face me again. I asked warily, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I have told you all that you aught to know." Mason simply said before he left the inn.

I ran outside the inn to go after him, but he was gone. There wasn't a crowd he could disappear into, so how did he vanish so quickly? The only thing I could think of was that he was one hell of an escape artist. Still standing at the open doorway of the inn, I asked out loud, "How am I to find more about the pawns here?"

"I would start with the Pawn Guild." A familiar voice piped up.

I turned around and saw that it was the man behind the counter who said that. I walked up to him and asked, "Where is this guild?"

"O'er in the Craftsman Quarters, west of here, but you need to tell the sentry that you have business there."

I gave my thanks and I was about to head on over when I remembered that I had no healing herbs on me. I looked around the marketplace for a few minutes and saw that there was an apothecary and an armory. Having so little gold on me, I ignored the armory for now and went to the apothecary. I used all the gold that I had to buy a few herbs. I distributed them amongst my team and we set off to the west side of Gran Soren.

Standing in the middle of an open gateway was a guard. I walked up to him and said, "I have business with the Pawn Guild."

"Do you now?" The guard asked. He stepped to the side and said, "Go on through."

The Craftsman Quarters were very different from the marketplace. There were a few houses and a large open field of grain where farmers were busy at work. I wandered around for a minute before I spotted a building with a sign that said "Guild". With my pawns following close behind, I entered the building. Right off the bat, I was greeted by a man in a white vest.

"Welcome, Arisen." The man said. "We have awaited your coming."

"Uh…" I didn't know what to say.

"This pawn's name is Barnaby. I tend to the affairs of the Pawn Guild. This place serves as a place of rest for pawns, and as the gate to the Everfall."

"The what?"

"The Everfall lies beneath Gran Soren. Tis a place of great importance to our kind. But for now, let us rejoice in the coming of the Arisen, the light that guides the legion."

All pawns inside the guild lowered their heads in a bow. I will admit, it feels strange to be getting respect just because a dragon stole my heart. Barnaby lifted his head and whispered to me, "A word if you would, Arisen."

He walked off to a smaller room and I followed him there. My pawns stood outside the door as Barnaby told me, "It grieves me to burden you, weary from the road as you must be, but I fear trouble brews."

"_Already_?" I asked.

"I would beg your assistance in this matter, Arisen, if it please you."

"Well, what's the problem?"

Barnaby walked to the back of the room and stood in front of a metal doorway. He took out a key and unlocked the door, but he did not open it. He looked at me and explained, "Beyond lies the Everfall, an ancient place that sleeps beneath Gran Soren's stones. We pawns have long served as keepers of the entrance to this place, but since the dragon's coming, a strange aura has filled the Everfall, a…presence"

"So you want me to go down and investigate, right?"

"If it be some omen of evil to come, we cannot allow it to go unchecked. I ask that you seek out the cause of the change, or some proof of what's happened. The Everfall is a place unique unto itself. This is not a simple task, nor a favor that I ask lightly, which is why I ask you, Arisen, please, lend us your aid."

"Well, I have naught else to do until I receive word from the duke." I shrugged. I looked to my pawns, who now entered the room, and asked them, "What do you think?"

"We are always at your side, Arisen." Aiken simply said.

"I will do as you ask, Arisen." Rook answered me.

"I am at your side, Arisen." Sam said.

There were many things about these pawns that amazed me, and their loyalty was one of them. I faced the door to the underground and said heroically, "Well then, let's be off!"

I opened the door with a flourish and saw that there were stairs leading down into darkness. I took out my handy dandy lantern and lit it. I expected the pawns to do the same thing, but they did not. I pointed to the darkness below and said, "You know you are going to need lanterns, right?"

"We have naught on us but herbs, master." Rook shook his head.

I gave a frustrated sigh. I had no gold left to buy the rest of my group lanterns. Well, maybe there was a chance of finding some gold down below. I hooked the lantern to my belt and told the group, "Stay close; this is the only light we have."

I took a step down, quickly lost my footing, and I tumbled down the stairs. Upon landing on the ground, my lantern was smashed and the light went out. I groaned in both pain and frustration. I heard footsteps running towards my direction and I felt someone help me up.

"Are you all right, Arisen?" I heard Aiken ask.

"Forget what I said earlier," I grumbled, "we have no light _and_ I have a headache."

"Tis fortunate that you did not break your neck."

"Aye, it wouldn't look good in the history books…"

We both walked back up the stairs and I turned to look at Barnaby. I asked, "You wouldn't happen to have a lantern on you, by any chance?"

Barnaby walked to a nearby cupboard and opened it up. Crowding the shelves were many lanterns and flasks of oil. He took out four lanterns and flasks and handed one of each to each of us. I thanked him and told him that I would pay him later.

"There is no need, Arisen," Barnaby said humbly, "we pawns are always glad to help you."

My pawns and I lit our lanterns and we descended down the stairs, and I was careful to watch my footing this time around.

* * *

In the darkness of the Everfall, one can't help but notice the silence in the air…as well as the dust. I found that the entire chamber was one gigantic stairwell leading down. I looked over the edge and I could see glowing blue cracks at the very bottom. Looking down, I also noticed how far we had to walk to get there. I moved away from the edge and I turned to look at the stone steps that led down below. I slowly made my way down, with the pawns following close.

"Strange," Sam spoke up, "I somehow feel…connected… to this place."

"Barnaby said something similar." I noted. "What I want to know, though, is what is down here?"

"Skeletons!" Aiken shouted.

"There might be, but can you not shout-?"

Up ahead, I saw several skeletons with weapons in their bony hands, _standing_ skeletons, might I add. My jaw dropped as my pawns ran forward to fight them. When I was little, the chief would always tell the children at Cassardis to never leave the village at night, for that was when skeletons and the undead rose from the grave to eat, and I believed him. As I got older, though, I dismissed the chief's words as just a story to scare us kids. Looking at the skeletons now, all that went through my head was "Oh my God, the chief was right!"

In my moment of panic, one skeleton ran at me with a greatsword in hand. It was about to swing it when Aiken raised his shield and ran at it, knocking them both to the ground. Aiken's weight seemed to crush some of the old bones, but to make sure it really wouldn't come back, I kicked its skull down the stairwell. I glanced around and I saw that the others took care of the rest of the skeletons.

Aiken stood up, brushed the bits of bone from his armor, and asked me, "Are you all right, Arisen?"

"Sorry," I lowered my head, "I was too freaked out to do anything. I thought skeletons couldn't come back."

Thinking back on that moment, that was a pretty dumb thing to say, considering that I'm technically undead myself. I gave an awkward smile and said, "Well, I guess that makes us even, Aiken. I saved you, and now you just saved me."

"Remember," Aiken said, "strength in numbers, Arisen."

"Got it."

We looted the skeletons and, while I picked up gold and old weaponry to sell, the pawns picked up skulls, pieces of broken metal, and rocks. Continuing on downwards, we came across several rotting undead, in addition to more skeletons. This time around, I steeled myself for battle and I was able to take out a few undead.

A few battles later, we came to a closed gate in the middle of the stairwell. On the other side, I could see a lever, and odds were, it controlled the gate mechanism. Fortunately, there was a corridor off to the side that we could take. Of course, once we stepped through and went into a nearby room, what were waiting for us, but the undead?

Again, with my mind set on the fight, they were no big deal. I think I was actually getting the hang of fighting. We walked down another corridor and we were right back at the stairwell, though we were on the other side of the gate this time around. Making sure that we didn't have to go through the long way on the way out, I walked up to the lever and pulled it down. The gate slowly raised itself up with a metallic creak. I turned around we continued our descent.

It was not long before we saw something large and hairy up ahead. The monster was as big as a Cyclops, yet it was covered in fur, had two eyes, and had small horns on its head. Looking at this monstrosity, I couldn't help but think back to another one of the chief's stories.

Supposedly, there used to be creatures called "apes" that used to live in the forests of Gransys, but they almost became extinct due to a temporary overpopulation of hydras (later taken down by human hunting parties). Again, supposedly, the last of the apes evolved into giant brutes so that they could defend themselves better. These brutes, now called "trolls", still exist today, and not only are they among the list of giant nuisances to mankind, but they are also the biggest source of jokes in this generation (like "How many trolls does it take to give someone a headache?" and other such jokes of the unfunny category). I never really believed the chief's story about the apes, but I didn't believe in the reanimate dead either until I just fought them minutes ago.

Right now, the troll was sleeping in the middle of the stairwell, and it was giving us no room to sneak past it. Well, even if we could sneak past it, my pawns made sure that we had no choice but to fight it.

"Troll!" Aiken shouted.

"Tis fiercer than a Cyclops!" Sam joined in on the shouting.

"Would you two shut up?" I hissed at them both.

It was too late, as the troll was already now awake. It grumbled as it slowly sat up and turned to stare at us. Obviously mad that the pawns woke it up, it roared angrily at us and stood up.

Even in the moment of danger, my sarcasm slipped through as I told my pawns, "Truly, you two are the smartest pawns in Gransys."

While I was saying this, the three pawns had already started the fight. Aiken had grabbed hold of one of the troll's legs, Rook was firing lightning bolts at it out of his staff, and Sam was hacking away at the troll's ankles. The troll wasn't too bothered by the attacks, as it just simply shook Aiken off its leg and kicked Sam in Rook's direction, knocking both pawns down. As I ran over to help Rook and Sam up, I heard the troll make excitable noises.

"The sight of women excites it!" Aiken shouted as he started to hack at the troll's leg.

"What?" I turned to face Aiken. "You must be kid-!"

Before I could finish my sentence, the troll reached forward, snatched me up in its large hand, and ran down the stairs. All my pawns could do was shout threats at the troll and run after it. In the troll's grip, I was able to grab hold of my daggers, but I couldn't pull my arms out. All the while, as I struggled, I shouted profanities that only the sailors of Cassardis wouldn't be ashamed of saying.

After a minute, the troll stopped running, brought me close to its face, and sniffed. Amidst all the struggling, I had managed to free one arm. I glared at the troll in its red eyes and snarled, "Get your hands off me, you damn, dirty ape!"

With that said, I raised my dagger and stabbed the troll's thumb. The troll let out a cry of pain and anger, and it released me. The moment I landed on my feet, I jumped at the troll and started scaling it like a frenzied ant. I crawled its back and up the back of its head. That was when the troll did something unexpected, but smart at the same time: it jumped backwards and landed on its back. I was already on its head, so I didn't take any damage.

However, what neither of us noticed was that the troll was near the edge of the stairwell.

When it jumped, it landed on the railing, spine first. Seeing that it was about to topple over the edge, I scrambled over the troll's face and made a desperate jump. I didn't land as gracefully as last time, but at least I landed on the stairwell. From behind me, I could hear the troll roaring, followed by a loud splat.

The three pawns ran up to me and helped me up. Aiken asked, "Are you-?"

"Shaken," I interrupted, "but I'm all right." I walked up to the edge and peered down. Down below, illuminated by the blue glow of the cracks of the floor, I could make out the broken form of the troll, resting in a puddle of its own blood.

"Tis fortunate that the beast was near the edge when it jumped." Rook said.

"Aye." I let out a sigh of relief and placed my hand over my heart. Again, I keep forgetting that I no longer have a heart. Again, I moved my hand away before the dragon's message could repeat itself. I walked up to the wall and sat down, so that I could at least catch my breath. After a minute, I got up and continued the walk down with my pawns.

After another fight with some skeletons, we finally reached the bottom. Up ahead, we had a better look of the troll's corpse, whose gory details I will not get into. However, the moment we stepped on the ground floor, many red snake…tentacle…things with mouths rose out of the ground.

"What are those things?" I asked.

"An Evil Eye!" Sam shouted.

"We must run!" Aiken shouted.

That was the smartest thing any of my pawns had said up to date. I did not question the pawns' sudden urge to flee and I ran back up the stairwell with them. As we ascended, more tentacles rose out of the stone stairs, with some of them trying to bite us and others casting magic fireballs. I ran ahead of the group and at one point, I paused to see if those things were after us.

None of the tentacles followed me, and the exact same thing went for my pawns. Even though they said to flee, they were a ways away behind, fighting the tentacles in vain. I cupped my hands over my mouth and called out, "What are you doing? Run!"

"Right away, Arisen!" Aiken said as he ran towards my direction.

"On my way!" Sam said as he also ran up the stairwell.

"Hold on a minute, I'll be right there!" Rook said as he stood still and tried to cast a healing spell on himself.

I sighed angrily and ran back down, bypassing Aiken and Sam on the way. I grabbed Rook by the sleeve and pulled, saying, "When I say run, I mean _run_!"

Rook lowered his staff and started to run back up the stairwell, with me following close behind. We bypassed Aiken and Sam again on the way up, and they turned around and followed us up. During the ascension, the tentacles kept following us, and the pawns would stop to fight. Again and again, I had to shout at them to stop fighting and run, _just like they had originally said_.

Finally, we reached the top. I had my pawns go ahead of me so that I could slam the door shut behind us. Still in a state of panic, I pulled the nearest cabinet until it was covering the door, then I proceeded to pile the chairs against the cabinet. I was about to pull the tables to add to the barricade when I heard someone ask, "What are you doing, Arisen?"

I stopped and turned to the direction of the voice. Standing at the doorway in front of the room was Barnaby with a somewhat confused look on his face. I say "somewhat confused" because it looked like he was attempting to look confused without really knowing what a confused expression looks like. Believe me, you wouldn't know what I was talking about unless you see it for yourself.

I looked back at the barricade and I now realized just what I was doing. I gave a nervous laugh and said to Barnaby, "Sorry, I just got carried away there."

"Is the presence below that evil?" He asked.

"I don't know, but it was creepy, ugly, and it was enough to get the pawns running."

"What did you see down there?"

"Well, there was blue light at bottom-."

"A light in the furthest depths? I see…"

"'I see'? That's all you have to say?"

"In truth, even we pawns know little about the Everfall. I can say with utmost certainty, though, the light you speak of is newly come. We cannot know if this small aberration will give rise to great calamity hence."

"There were red tentacles after us down there! I think Sam called it an 'Evil Eye'…"

"Then action must be taken."

I expected Barnaby to go running out of the guild to call some soldiers to help, but instead, he said, "We shall redouble our efforts here, and keep vigilant for further signs of change."

Did he not hear what I had just said? I stressed each word, "_There's_…_something_…_down_…_there_!"

"And we will always be at watch." Barnaby tried to assure me.

I gave up then and there. I rolled my eyes and made my way out of the guild, saying, "Don't come crying to me when that thing-."

"A word, ser." A voice in front of me said.

I faced forward and saw a soldier in front of me. He asked, "Are you the Arisen? I bring a message from the duke himself."

"Everyone calls me the Arisen," I shrugged, "so I guess I am. What message does the duke send?"

"His Grace has judged your feat in slaying the hydra most laudable."

"Uh, just because I severed one head does not mean-."

"To honor your noble works, you are hereby welcomed to the Wyrm Hunt. You may now accept orders from Ser Maximilian, Captain of the Hunt."

"The…Wyrm Hunt?"

The soldier handed me a sheet of parchment and told me, "Bring this writ to Ser Maximilian, outside the castle gates. He will instruct you further. That document confers the status of hunter upon you. Carry it on your person always."

Before I could ask him about the Wyrm Hunt, the soldier ran off. I looked over the writ and saw that it was covered in tiny writing. Not really reading it, I pocketed the license and went back to the marketplace.

During the exploration of the Everfall, my team found various things, from old weapons to metal scraps. We sold them to the armory and actually made a lot of coin. With some gold available, I decided to see what weapons were for sale.

The first thing that caught my interest was a greatsword. I turned to Aiken and asked, "Do you think you can use that?"

"I am certainly strong enough to wield it, master." Aiken answered.

I told the man at the counter, "One greatsword for my ally."

"Present his vocation slip."

Not knowing what the heck he was talking about, I asked, "What vocation slip?"

"I need proof that your friend is a warrior."

"He _is_ a warrior!"

"No, he's a fighter."

"What's the difference?"

"Fighters wield one-handed swords and shields while warriors wield greatswords."

"Well, why does he need a vocation slip to prove that he is a warrior?"

"I don't want to sell equipment to individuals who are unable to wield them."

I was really getting frustrated. I asked, "Well, where can we get a vocation slip?"

"At the inn."

We headed back to the inn and told the keeper, "I need a vocation slip for Aiken."

The man pulled out a sheet of parchment and said, "One thousand gold, if you will."

My temper rose some, but I handed over the gold nevertheless. With a nearby quill, I had Aiken fill out the parchment. I looked over his shoulder and I couldn't believe how simple the vocation slip was.

**Previous vocation (circle one): Fighter, Strider, Mage, Warrior, Ranger, Wizard, Mystic Knight*, Assassin*, Magic Archer*.**

** Desired vocation (circle one): Fighter, Strider, Mage, Warrior, Ranger, Wizard, Mystic Knight*, Assassin*, Magic Archer*.**

** *Does not apply to pawns.**

** Sign here:**

It took less than a minute for Aiken to fill it out. We went back to the armory and showed the man behind the counter the vocation slip. He glanced at it, nodded, and walked to the back of the store to get the greatsword. He set it on the counter and said, "Ten thousand gold."

It was a ridiculously large sum of money, but I was still able to pay for it. After the purchase, we immediately sold Aiken's sword and shield. I browsed the store some more and I found a nice looking bow with intricate blue spiral carvings on it. I told the man, "How much for the bow?"

"Present your vocation slip." The man folded his arms.

I gaped at him and asked, "Are you kidding me? Look at me, I'm a strider! I don't need a slip of parchment to say that I can wield a bow."

"Sorry, but that bow is magic enhanced, and only magic archers can wield magic bows."

I was really mad at this point, but at the same time, I really wanted that bow. I've seen a few travelers in Cassardis who wielded magic bows, and I had the honor of seeing a magic archer in action. With those bows, you could fire magic powered arrows, including multiple arrows that seek out their targets! I grumbled and went back to the inn. I requested for another vocation slip and I had to pay another thousand gold. After filling it out, I went back to the armory and showed the man the slip.

Again, he nodded, brought the bow to the counter, and said, "Eight thousand gold."

At this point, I was close to broke, but I bought it anyways. I sold my old bow and I had just enough gold to stay at the inn for one more night. Well, I figured that now would be a good time to meet up with Ser Maximilian and see what the whole Wyrm Hunt thing is all about. With any luck, we could form a hunting party and go after the dragon.

Of course, with this being the misadventures of Kennedreth, the Smartass Slacker of Cassardis, things aren't always going to go as planned.

* * *

**Next time, Kennedreth and co meet Ser Maximilian and go figure out a cipher.**

**Notice: I just made up the whole "hydras ate the apes to near extinction, so the apes evolved into trolls in order to survive" story just so I could insert that **_**Planet of the Apes**_** quote. Dumb excuse, I know, but I really wanted that quote in the story.**

**I notice that I'm getting a lot of readers, but not a lot of reviews. Please leave a review; it doesn't take too much of your time and receiving positive feedback is always a great feeling.**

* * *

Chapter 5: The Cipher (excerpt)

"Wait a minute!" I called after Sam. "How do you know who to talk to?"

"It is because I have done this quest before." Sam answered without stopping.

"_How_?"

"I have done this quest before with my original master."

"The _exact same quest_?"

"Aye."

I remembered the small talk about the other worlds. Sam had said that the worlds were almost exactly identical, and now I see that he wasn't kidding. A thought crossed my mind and I asked, "Then why don't you tell me what the cipher says, if you've already done this before?"

"That is not the way quests work, master." Sam said.

"But that would save us a lot of time!"

"I am sorry, but that is not the way things work."

I swear, I'll never understand pawns.


	5. The Cypher and Intermission 1

**I used to make disclaimers saying that I do not own Capcom's **_**Dragon's Dogma**_**, then I took an arrow to the knee. Okay, who did **_**not**_** see that coming?**

**Correction notice: it's "cypher", not "cipher".**

* * *

Chapter 5: The Cypher

The scene: the Noble Quarters of Gran Soren. The cathedral and the houses of the nobility are obvious standing testaments of great, unnamed architects. In front of the gates to the duke's demesne stands a soldier who is waiting for something…or someone. Approaching him now are three pawns who are led by the Smartass Slacker of Cassardis, mankind's last hope against the dragon.

"Ah, Arisen." The soldier gave a single nod. "My men have told me much of you. I have expected your visit."

"Ser Maximilian, I assume?" I asked.

"You assume correctly. I am Ser Maximilian Eizenstern, Captain of the Hunt, so named by his Grace Duke Edmun Dragonsbane. I beg your forbearance whilst I detail what is expected of you in the Hunt. The Wyrm Hunt license you carry permits the bearer to undertake the most vital of tasks-."

"Find and kill the dragon, I know." I didn't see how this could have been more obvious.

Ser Maximilian paused before saying, "Aye. Of late, all our will is focused on the learning of, and defending against, the wicked dragon. A weighty task, to be sure, but one which the fate of the realm and its people rests upon. I am under order to lend the Arisen all reasonable aid as they might require."

"Good." I smiled. I think this little dragon hunt is finally getting somewhere. I said, "Okay, I'm going to need an army to accompany me to find and kill the dragon."

"An army? But all our forces are either guarding Gran Soren, the posts up north, or Cassardis."

Having seen the guards of Cassardis hide in barrels during the dragon attack firsthand, I was compelled to say, "Guarding Cassardis my arse!", but I didn't. Instead, I asked, "So…there is no army?"

"I am afraid not, Arisen." Ser Maximilian shook his head.

"Well… does anyone know where we can find the dragon?"

"No one knows where the beast rests."

Well, so much for getting somewhere. Ser Maximilian said, "Either way, I would pray you to return this assistance in kind. Many hopes are pinned upon you, ser, and it would be my honor to show you the ready charges for the Wrym Hunt. Now," the captain held up a hand and started to count his fingers, "what work would fancy you first: decypher a text, rout a monster infestation, investigate a cult, or aid a research team?"

My jaw felt like dropping. I gave a small laugh and asked, "Sorry, but can you repeat those tasks again?"

Ser Maximilian did just that, and the dropping feeling in my jaw did not lessen any. I asked slowly, "This is…the Wyrm_ Hunt_, is it not?"

"That is what I said, Arisen."

"And… how will these tasks help us find and kill the dragon?"

"If you really want the details: the text that needs deciphering may have something to do with the dragon, the research team is investigating for clues regarding the dragon, the cult worships the dragon, and the monster infestation…has naught to do with finding the dragon."

"I…ah…okay…"

In truth, I was doing my best to suppress an outburst. I wanted to scream, "But this is the _Wyrm Hunt_! What good is a _Wyrm Hunt_ if you don't find and kill a wyrm?" Instead, I asked, "So…you mentioned something that needs deciphering?"

"Aye," Ser Maximilian gave a single nod, "though this task is of a less urgent nature. I came upon this slate; I know not its origin, nor its age, but the writing it bears is old."

Ser Maximilian reached into a pouch he kept at his waist and pulled out a stone slab, almost perfectly rectangular in shape. He handed it to me and I found it to be heavy as a common paperweight. Ser Maximilian noted, "Tis so old, our men could only read a few words: "dragon", "scar", "Arisen", and "heart"… What little we know all points to you, ser. Best you should have it."

I stared at the writing on the slab and, true enough, it was in a language that was unknown to me. However, for some unknown reason, the words "dragon", "scar", "Arisen", and "heart" were written in our language. I said, "I guess your men didn't have any problems making out _those_ words, but what am I supposed to do with this?"

"Your task is to find out what it reads. Maybe you ought to ask around the city."

"Aye, I'll do just that."

With the slab still in my hands, I turned around and walked several yards away from Ser Maximilian. When I was out of his earshot, I asked no one in particular, "Just who are we supposed to ask about this?"

Sam spoke up, "A man in the fields west of Gran Soren knows of the Dragonforged."

"The what?" I turned to the pawn.

"It's this way, Arisen."

Just like Rook from two days ago, Sam suddenly bolted off. Wondering what he was up to, I ran after him, followed by Aiken and Rook. We arrived back at the west side of the city, where the pawns resided, and Sam continued running until he was standing in the middle of a field of wheat.

Aside from our merry little group, there was a lone farmer with a hoe in his hand, wandering the fields with a bored look on his face. He quickly noticed our presence and he turned to face us. He asked, "Can I help you?"

"Ah…" I glanced at Sam, then back at the farmer. I said, "Sam thinks you might know something about this old slab."

I could tell that the farmer was just as confused as I was. He peered closely at the slab in my hands and he asked, "What do I know of these old writings?"

Before I could say or ask something, he answered his own question, "Less than I know of modern script, and I never learned me letters! Ask a scrivener, or a counterfeiter."

Once again, Sam ran off, saying, "This way."

Again, the pawns and I ran after our newest recruit. I wondered just how Sam knew what to do and where to go. Well, I was going to ask the moment we take a breather.

The next thing I knew, we were running through a maze of alleyways. We came to a dead end and Sam stopped where he was. At this end of the alley was a shady looking store with the sign "The Black Cat" hanging above the counter. The man behind the counter gave a crooked smile and said, "I have not seen you here before. Welcome to 'The Black Cat'. Now, what is it I can do for you?"

I set the slab on the counter and asked, "Know anything about this?"

The proprietor narrowed his eyes as he looked at the writing on the slab. He nodded and said, "Ancient writings? Aye, that's simple enough, if you've the coin, that is."

Temporarily forgetting that I was broke on coin, I asked eagerly, "You can read this?"

"What?" The man frowned. "You just want aught read? Let's have a look, then…"

Again, he peered closely at the writing on the slab. After a few seconds, he said, "Simple enough. That's 'dragon', there, then 'scar', 'Arisen', and 'heart' there."

"I _know_ those words are written there," I gave a frustrated sigh, "but what about the rest of the text?"

"The rest is no script, friend, it's all flourish." The proprietor handed the slab back to me.

"Flourish? So, aside from these four words…the rest is gibberish?"

"That is correct. This is no text; it's a cypher. Like it as not, it holds some secret meaning to folk those words relate to, and I'm not one of them. I fear that is all I can say, friend."

I gave my thanks to the man and walked off. I told my pawns, "If the rest is gibberish, then what can we make out of 'dragon', 'scar', 'Arisen', and 'heart'?"

"We know it relates to you, master." Rook said.

"Thank you for that _fantastic_ clue, Rook."

"I am always glad to help."

Great, so now these pawns don't know sarcasm. Looking at the slab once more, I asked, "What now?"

"I know who to talk to next." Sam said as he bolted off for the third time.

"Wait a minute!" I called after Sam. "How do you know who to talk to?"

"It is because I have done this quest before." Sam answered without stopping.

"How?"

"I have done this quest before with my original master."

"The exact same quest?"

"Aye."

I remembered the small talk about the other worlds. Sam had said that the worlds were almost exactly identical, and now I see that he wasn't kidding. A thought crossed my mind and I asked, "Then why don't you tell me what the cypher says, if you've already done this before?"

"That is not the way quests work, master." Sam said.

"But that would save us a lot of time!"

"I am sorry, but that is not the way things work."

I swear, I'll never understand pawns.

We arrived back at the square and Sam stopped next to a man who was sitting on the rim of a fountain. We approached the man and he was about to open his mouth to say something when I shoved the slab into his hands and said, "Cypher. Help. Please."

"Cypher?" The man asked. He looked at the slab in his hands and scanned the writing with his eyes. He asked, "You want me to read this to you?"

"No, I need clues to find out the meaning behind the cypher."

"Hm, 'dragon', 'scar', 'Arisen', and 'heart', is it? Does it have aught to do with the drawing?"

"What drawing?" I felt like we were finally getting somewhere.

"The figure of Hillfigure Knoll. The man drawn upon the hill north of the capital. He bears a scar across the heart, or the chest at least." He handed back the slab and asked, "Does that help you?"

"Tis something to go by." I said as I took back the slab. "Thank you."

I turned to Sam and asked, "I assume you know where Hillfigure Knoll is, right?"

"You are correct, Arisen." Sam gave a single nod.

"Lead on, then."

Sam did just that. We quickly left the capital and took the road north. Along the way, we fought groups of bandits, goblins, and wolves, even on the roads ("Tis safer on the roads." Rook said.). With all these enemies about, it's a wonder that people still travel.

An hour of fighting later, I could see a hill up ahead with stone arches on it. On one side of the hill, I could see lines of barren earth form some sort of shape, though I couldn't clearly make out what it was. Maybe that form was the man with the scar that the man at the fountain mentioned. As we drew closer to the hill, we came across a flock of harpies picking at the remains of some people like vultures.

Here, I was glad I had bought the magic bow. If I just pointed at a harpy with my nocked arrow, even if just for a split second, the arrow would fly towards it once released. Aside from target-seeking arrows, I knew the bow had other powers, but I did not know what they were. Well, either way, we made quick work of those harpies because of that bow.

Up ahead, the path split, and we took the smaller path leading up the hill. At this point, I now took the lead. We slowly made our way upwards and we came to one of the stone arches. Sitting on top of the arch was a young man with light brown hair. Without looking down at us, he said, "Him who knows that I know what he seeks to know, knows it well, while he who knows not, knows not what I know, or know not."

As I was trying to comprehend what he just said, he turned his head and looked at me. The moment his eyes locked onto mine, my chest began to ache. Through the clothing that I had on, I could see a yellow glow. I placed a hand over my chest and, to my surprise, I did not hear the dragon's message. The glow was warm against my hand and I could once again feel that phantom heartbeat.

A second later, both the ache and the glow vanished, along with the phantom heartbeat. Why did that glow appear now? Why did my chest ache just then? I stared back at the man on the stone arch and asked, "Who are you?"

The man, however, was no longer looking at me, but at the ground. I lowered my head and saw another figure present. It was an older man with somewhat dark skin wearing a white sheet for a robe. There were two things about this man that stood out to me: the dead look in his eyes and the large scar across his chest.

"You see me, yes?" The man asked.

"Yes…" I answered cautiously. I then jokingly asked, "Why do you ask? Are you a ghost or something?"

The man had a grave look on his face. My eyes widened and I said, "You…are kidding me." I looked to my companions and asked, "You can see him, right?"

Each of my party members slowly shook his head. I turned back to the man in the white sheet and gave a nervous laugh before asking, "You're…not really a ghost…are you?"

After a moment's pause, the man said, "My form can only be discerned by the true Arisen. I believe congratulations are due. You have found the man you seek." He slowly approached me, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise.

"Don't come any closer," I slowly backed away, "I don't talk to ghosts." I looked at the scar on the man's chest again and I stopped where I was. A sudden thought crossed my mind and I asked, "You're a dead Arisen?"

"I am," the man stopped his approach, "or was, perhaps, like you." He gave a slight bow for some reason before continuing, "A child of man, bound to the dragon."

The man on the arch stood up and jumped down next to the older man's side. The man with the scar on his chest said, "Well met, young Arisen. I am he who was forged by the dragon."

I now remembered Sam mentioning a "Dragonforged" back at Gran Soren. The man motioned me to follow him, and me and my pawns did so. We went into a cave on the side of the hill and we were greeted by the dim glow of candlelight in the darkness. Set up all over the place were lit candles and miscellaneous junk, varying from tables to parchments to urns. The man, who I assumed to be the Dragonforged, sat in a stone throne while the young man stood beside him.

Before I could speak up, the Dragonforged said, "Arisen of the present day, new-forged link in the grand chain, you have come seeking meaning for that slate and the words it bears-."

"Yes." I beckoned to Rook, who I had carry the slab the whole trip. He approached me and I took the slab out of his hands. I showed it to the Dragonforged and said, "Please tell me you know what this means."

"There is none."

I nearly dropped the slab upon hearing this. I shouted, "So this _was_ gibberish! This whole time, we've been on some wild duck chase!"

"Not necessarily. It fulfilled its purpose by bringing you to me. I am the Dragonforged."

I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself down and said, "Well, I'm here now. What is it you want?"

"Tell him that gave you the cypher of what you heard here."

"Heard what, that I've met the ghost of an Arisen? But there's got to be a better reason than that! I mean, just _who_ are you? Why have me come here just to send me away the moment we meet?"

"What questions you have will wait until the time comes."

"_What_ time?" My temper rose.

"You will know when that time comes."

I gritted my teeth and shoved the slab into Aiken's arms. I stormed out of the cave and back down the hill. First the voices, then the pawns, and now the Dragonforged. Why won't anyone ever give me a clear answer?

"Master!" Aiken called after me.

I stopped and let the rest of my party catch up to me. Without turning around, I said in a low voice, "Until we get back to Gran Soren, _no one_ talk to me."

"I have gained quest knowledge." Rook piped up.

I glared up at the sky and gave a frustrated scream.

* * *

The first thing I did when we got back to Gran Soren was visit the Riftstone in the Pawn Guild. Between Rook's stupidity and Sam's withheld knowledge on things, I was tired of those two. When we inside the Pawn Guild, I approached the Riftstone and knocked on it, saying, "Hey, voices! I don't like the pawns I'm working with!"

I now found myself once again in the Rift, with both Rook and Sam at my side. I turned to both of them and asked, "You know what I'm going to say, aren't you?"

"You want us to leave." Rook said.

"Here's why. Rook," I stared at him in the eyes, "when we first met, you just ran off without any real explanation. Also, back at the Everfall, you didn't run when I told you to. You could have been killed if you stayed behind a few seconds longer."

"Pawns never really die, master. If we should, we would just return to the Rift."

"But that doesn't mean you should _let_ yourself die! I know you were trying to heal yourself at the time, but when I say 'run', I mean 'run'." I now turned to Sam and said, "Sam, you were very helpful with that one quest, but we really could have saved a lot of time if you just told us the cypher meant nothing in the end."

"Again," Sam said, "that is not how quests work."

"Oh, and I'll add stubbornness to the list of bad qualities about you." I now looked at both pawns and said, "You were both great members of the team, but I'll start growing gray hairs if I don't do something. I'm sorry, Rook, OneBigFurby, but I'm afraid I'll have to let you both go."

"If that is what you wish, Arisen." Rook said before he walked off to the edge of the Rift and vanished.

"Until we meet again." Sam said before he followed Rook.

I sighed and turned to the pawns that were now appearing out of the edges of the Rift. I needed a healing mage and one other before I returned. I saw a thin man with gray hair standing off to the side and I approached him. I asked, "Are you a mage?"

"Nay, Arisen," the pawn shook his head, "I am a sorcerer."

"What's the difference?"

"Sorcerers cast deadlier spells."

"Okay…can you cast healing spells?"

"Sorcerers cannot perform recovery spells."

"Goodbye."

I now approached a…well rounded woman in robes. I asked her, "Are you a sorcerer?"

"Nay, Arisen," she answered, "I am a mage."

"So you can cast healing spells?"

"Aye, along with ice and thunder spells."

I fished out the Rift Crystals from my pocket and handed them to the pawn. She took several crystals and said, "I am honored to serve you, Arisen. I am known as HelgaSoprano."

I placed a hand over my mouth to stifle my laughter. What kind of Arisen would give their pawns such ridiculous names? After taking a deep breath, I asked, "What's your nickname?"

"Sam."

I placed a hand over my forehead and shook my head. What were the odds that this pawn would have the same nickname as my previous pawn? I suggested, "How about I call you Helga?"

"If you so wish, Arisen." Helga said.

Great, just one more to hire. I looked around and spotted a bald, lean strider with a black beard. I approached him and quickly noticed that he had a longbow on his back. I asked, "You good with that bow?"

"Aye," the pawn nodded, "I've taken out many a goblin with this bow."

I showed the Rift Crystals and he took half of what I had left. He said, "I am glad to accompany you, Arisen. I am called-."

"Wait a moment." I interrupted. I held my breath and covered my mouth. I thought it would be a good idea to brace myself before hearing this pawn's name. I said between my fingers, "Okay, say it."

The pawn blinked and said, "John."

That was the first normal sounding name I've heard from a pawn in a while. I exhaled and lowered my hand. Out of curiosity, I asked, "What's your nickname?"

"Johnny."

A somewhat cute nickname for a pawn with a beard, but it was not enough for me to laugh at. I said, "Hope you are good as you say you are, John."

With two new pawns at hand, I went back to the Riftstone and told it, "I want to leave now."

In a flash, we were back in the guild. I quickly introduced the two new pawns to my main pawn, Aiken, before we went back to Ser Maximilian. When we arrived back at the front gate of the duke's demesne, Ser Maximilian approached us and asked, "Were you able to figure out the text, Ser Arisen?"

I had Aiken pass me the slab, which I now handed back to the captain of the Hunt. Remembering what I had been through almost an hour ago, I said, "It wasn't a text. It was a cypher meant to lead me to the Dragonforged, whom I learned nothing from."

"I see." Ser Maximilian folded his arms.

"All he told me was that he would tell me something once the time comes"

"Then it will do you well for you to meet him when that time comes. With luck, he will lead you to certain victory."

"So…am I done with this quest?"

"Aye," Ser Maximilian lifted his head and saw that the sun was starting to set, "but maybe you ought to rest before taking on your next assignment."

I now noticed the setting sun and I was quick to agree with him. After receiving payment, I gave my farewells and I went back to the square to sell the harpy pinions, wolf pelts, and goblin horns that my pawns managed to scavenge on the way to Hillfigure Knoll and back. While I was in the process of selling these things, I heard a loud splashing noise behind me and I turned around.

Wading in the fountain was John, who was picking up coins from the bottom. He jumped out of the fountain and held out a handful of wet gold to me. He said, "Here is some gold, Arisen."

I gaped at him and shouted, "Idiot! You can't steal from a wishing fountain! Put them back!"

John looked somewhat confused, but he did go back to the fountain and drop the gold back in. When I was done with my transactions, I also approached the fountain and took a single gold piece out of my money pouch.

Back at Cassardis, there used to be a wishing fountain, but a hurricane destroyed it years ago, and no one rebuilt it since then. Nowadays, kids would throw gold into the well and make their wishes there. Of course, because of the Saurians that lived down there, no one was ever foolish enough to go to the bottom of the well and try to steal the gold. Standing in front of the fountain now, I thought of a wish to make. Well, here goes…

_I wish I can slay the dragon, get my heart back, and live a long life afterwards._

I tossed the coin into the fountain and it landed in the water with a soft "plop". I went to the inn and paid five hundred gold pieces for the four of us to sleep for the night. After all that running around, I had no problems falling asleep that night.

* * *

Intermission 1

The scene: A space above the clouds, between the sunrise and the sunset. There is only a stone throne present, along with a robed figure cloaked in light sitting in it. With a wave of its hand, the figure parted the clouds below and looked down on the world. It peered down at Gran Soren, specifically, the wishing fountain in the square.

In my reminiscing, I couldn't help but think back to my wish, and I now wondered if I had any power over wishes. Well, being the Right Hand of God, I doubt I had that kind of power. Did God grant my wish, or was it a coincidence?

"'I wish I can slay the dragon, get my heart back, and live a long life afterwards.'" I said to myself.

Well, the first two-thirds of the wish came true. The last third…I'm now debating if it really came true or not. Well, I guess I better get my head out of the clouds (I laughed at this thought) and see if anything new is going on before I go back to my thoughts.

I'm particularly worried about the apes.

* * *

**Yes, this is the first of several intermissions of this story. Next time, I'll skip over the goblin raid quest and cover the infiltration into a cult's secret meeting place.**

**When I played this game, my pawns almost always take gold out of that fountain, and I always thought it was considered stealing.**

* * *

Chapter 6: The Salvation (excerpt)

"The dragon is the force by which the world will right itself, and we are duty bound to cede our souls unto it." The creep's voice echoed in the room.

"Turn off your lanterns." I whispered to the pawns.

They all nodded and did as I told them to. I turned off my own lantern and crouched down. I could make out a stone walkway looking over the gathering below and I slowly crawled towards it, with the others following behind me. As we crept onto the walkway, Aiken whispered, "Be careful not to step on any stray bones."

CRACK!

I stiffened and turned my head to see what made that noise. Out of all the people to step on a dry bone, it was Aiken, the very one who gave the warning not to step on any bones, who gave our position away. I peeked over the railing of the walkway to see if the people below heard us. Unfortunately, they did, as the creep was now staring at me.

"Come to join our flock, Arisen?" The creep smiled, showing his rotting teeth.

With a wave of his arm, a wave of pure force flew at us and hit the walkway. The walkway crumbled and we all fell to the gathering hall below. The first thing I did when I stood up was to glare at Aiken. As he stood up with the rest of the pawns, I gritted my teeth and told him, "Brilliant, Aiken, just _fucking_ brilliant."


	6. The Salvation

**Disclaimer: The Fox isn't dead, readers; she just hasn't been in the mood to write. Oh, and she doesn't own Capcom's **_**Dragon's Dogma**_**.**

**Fun Fact: I drew the cover for this story myself. I didn't want to go through all the trouble to find a suitable art piece and get permission to use it, yet I am bad at drawing via "Paint". So…I drew the cover on my notebook, scanned it, saved the image onto a flashdrive, and uploaded it from there. Of course, not all the colors show up, since it was drawn with colored pencils, but it's supposed to be an image of Kennedreth and Aiken confronting the dragon, with Kennedreth's open hand extended and her shouting the title of the story in an exaggerated fashion.**

* * *

Chapter 6: The Salvation

The scene: the noble quarters of Gran Soren. Outside the front gate of the duke's demesne stands Ser Maximilian, who is now staring at a very sore looking Arisen.

"Are you hurt, Arisen?" The captain expressed his concern.

"Sore, but otherwise recovered, ser." I gingerly massaged my arm. "I suffered from lots of cuts, Aiken nearly lost his arm, Helga had to be treated for diseases when a goblin bit her, and John had an arrow in his knee. All that aside, we took the fort back and killed every last goblin."

"Aye, word of your victory over the goblin horde proceeds you, ser. With the fort back in our hands, the south of Gransys is shielded once more. May your success continue, ser."

He handed me a small sack. I peered inside it and smiled when I saw that there was gold in it. Pocketing the gold, I asked, "So, what's next?"

"You want to partake on another quest already?" Ser Maximilian asked with surprise. "Shouldn't you at least rest before continuing on?"

"We have already rested, ser; we're just sore from the attack, that's all."

"Well, there is still a cult that needs investigating, as well as a research team that still requires aid."

"Tell me about the cult."

"Very well, but I fear this task is no simple call to action, ser. It will no doubt take time and a more…subtle approach than your other work. Perhaps you've heard of the society they call 'Salvation'."

I frowned. Having lived in Cassardis my whole life and only seeing Gran Soren for the first time a couple of days ago, I knew little of what was going on in the world, dragon aside. The only cult I had heard about was the Cult of Shkuchullhu, which worshiped this giant squid monster that was supposed to enslave the entire world one day, among other strange deities. If it's not dragons wanting to steal some random person's heart and destroy the world, it's squid with weird names that want to enslave all of mankind.

"I cannot say that I have," I finally answered, "would you like to 'enlighten' me?"

Ser Maximilian groaned at my choice of words, but he still explained, "In truth, most of what we know is the product of such hearsay. They are a band of heretics who worship the dragon, and welcome the perdition it brings."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"In the chaos come with the wyrm's arrival, their influence has grown. Pray, keep watch for signs of Salvation as you go about your business. If you find aught, tell me."

"We'll get to it as of this moment."

I led my group of pawns a ways away from the eyes of Ser Maximilian. I stare at Helga and John for a few moments before asking, "Have you done this quest before?"

"Sadly, I cannot say that I have." John shook his head.

"I know what to do, master." Helga answered.

"Lead on." I motioned towards the stone pathway with an exaggerated wave of my hand.

"It is this way, Arisen."

Helga took the lead. As we followed her, I couldn't help but ask out loud, "How did you know where to go when you first did this quest?"

"I have learned from other pawns that I have travelled with the first time I aided an Arisen in this quest."

"And how did _they_ know?"

"By learning from other pawns that they have traveled with the first time they aided an Arisen in this quest."

This wasn't the answer I really wanted, but before I could argue, I found that we had arrived at the inn. Helga led us to a man who was sitting by himself at a large table. I approached him and he lifted his head to look at me.

"Ah…" I said sheepishly. "Hello."

The man paused before cautiously returning the word. I decided to cut to the 'heart' of the matter (what is it with me and cheesy wording today?) and I asked, "Have you heard anything about the Salvation cult?"

"Asking about Salvation? You must be a friend of Mason's then."

"Mason?" I vaguely remember him as the guy in orange who pulled a vanishing act on me after telling me to ask around about the pawns.

"All too eager, that one. He's been questioning everyone with ears to listen."

"Where can I find him?"

"This way, Arisen." Helga took off once more.

I gave a hasty "thank you" to the man before running after her. When the pawns and I caught up with her, I called out, "Oi, slow down!"

Surprise, surprise, she actually listened. We slowed down our run to a walk and I saw that we were entering a part of Gran Soren that I had not seen before. Judging by the mildew on the buildings and the smell of foul water, I figured we must be in the poor part of the city. I said to Helga, "About my earlier question…"

"With the pawns and their quest knowledge?" She asked. "They learn from other pawns that they have traveled with-."

"I know, I know, but how do they find out _in the first place_?"

"They learn from other pawns-."

I felt like screaming. I raised my voice, "I mean 'do they learn from trial and error'?"

"That is not impossible."

"Thank you." I gave an exasperated sigh. Sometimes, it was hard to get an answer from a pawn.

The smell grew steadily worse and we found ourselves alongside a large aqueduct. Leaning against a wall was Mason, who was looking at us as if he were expecting us. The thought now crossed my mind that not only did these pawns know just who to talk to, but they know where they are. It was almost like they had compasses built into their heads or something. The surprises behind these pawns never seem to end.

Mason straightened himself and asked, "Looking for me, friend?"

"Looking for you, aye," I said, "but I wouldn't call you a friend, not when you vanish on me like an assassin in a crowd."

"Well, you must have been seeking me because of Salvation, aye?"

"Aye. I've heard you've been asking around as well."

"I have, but it seems I'm cursed with a villains' mien, though. One look at my face stalls a man's tongue dead."

"Well, you aren't exactly the most handsome man in Gransys." The words slipped out of my mouth.

Mason laughed at this and he admitted, "Your manner isn't exactly gentle either, Arisen, but you would be better to carry on my investigation better than me. Here, take this with you."

He fished out a small trinket out of one of the pockets of his orange clothing and placed it in my hand. It was a small blue circle with a pin on its backside; it was a badge. Imprinted onto the front of the badge was a small red dragon. The badge might as well say "I'm a member of Salvation, come and kill me".

I turned to Mason to ask why he gave me this badge, but he was gone. I groaned, "Not again!" I look to my companions and I asked them, "Did you see where he went?"

"Down into that one tunnel." Aiken pointed.

I ran down the tunnel, only to find that it was a dead end. How was this man so good at vanishing? Well, either way, he gave me a lead to go on once again. I let Helga take the lead once more and we spent some time inquiring about Salvation.

One interview later, a guard told us a rumor that Salvation has a meeting place in the catacombs. I honestly thought that we would have to talk to more people before finding a piece of information like that. Must be a lucky break for us.

* * *

After traveling a ways north of Gran Soren, we had arrived at the catacombs. Unsurprisingly, it was infested with not only skeletons, but zombies as well. We took on wave after wave, with only a few breaks now and then. When we weren't sending these monsters to a second death, we were wandering about the maze-like corridors and descending further down into the catacombs.

At some point, I asked, "Just how big is this place?"

"Quite big, I will admit." Aiken answered me.

John suddenly stopped where he was and he said, "I hear someone speaking."

We all stopped our walk and listened. I could faintly hear a man speaking, but I couldn't decipher his words. I looked to the nearest doorway and assumed that the voice was coming from this direction. I slowly walked towards the doorway, followed by the pawns. After some exploration that didn't involve slaying the undead for once, we stumbled across another doorway.

Peering through it revealed a gathering of black robed figures one floor below. They were all gathered around a bonfire and their attention was to a preaching figure in a brown robe. Judging by the voice, I recognized that figure as the creep that came to Cassardis that one time.

"The dragon is the force by which the world will right itself, and we are duty bound to cede our souls unto it." The creep's voice echoed in the room.

"Turn off your lanterns." I whispered to the pawns.

They all nodded and did as I told them to. I turned off my own lantern and crouched down. I could make out a stone walkway looking over the gathering below and I slowly crawled towards it, with the others following behind me. As we crept onto the walkway, Aiken whispered, "Be careful not to step on any stray bones."

CRACK!

I stiffened and turned my head to see what made that noise. Out of all the people to step on a dry bone, it was Aiken, the very one who gave the warning not to step on any bones, who gave our position away. I peeked over the railing of the walkway to see if the people below heard us. Unfortunately, they did, as the creep was now staring at me.

"Come to join our flock, Arisen?" The creep smiled, showing his rotting teeth.

With a wave of his arm, a wave of pure force flew at us and hit the walkway. The walkway crumbled and we all fell to the gathering hall below. The first thing I did when I stood up was to glare at Aiken. As he stood up with the rest of the pawns, I gritted my teeth and told him, "Brilliant, Aiken, just fucking brilliant."

The creep and his followers formed a half-circle around us. The creep stepped forward, raised his arms in an exaggerated fashion, and said, "This! This is the answer, dear Arisen!"

My eye twitched at the words "dear Arisen". I was about to snap at his choice of words when a sudden gust of wind blew past me and my team. The air and dust swirled around the followers, and they were as surprised as we were.

"Unto all things, death and chaos!" The creep announced.

In addition to dust, dark energy became mixed in with the swirling air. The followers muttered various exclamations of surprise and they backed away. When rotted arms shot out of the ground, several of the followers screamed. Following the arms from the ground were the undead. After they had pulled themselves out of the ground, the air stopped swirling and the dark energy vanished. All the followers made a run for it, with the undead running after them. For some reason, they paid no attention to me, the pawns, and the creep.

I will not lie: I was genuinely confused at what was happening. Why were the undead attacking the creep's own followers? Did the creep have no power over what he had summoned? These questions in my head were summed up in one sentence.

"What the hell are you doing?" I shouted at the creep.

The creep only laughed. The undead, meanwhile, had caught up with most of the followers and were tearing them to bloody shreds. The scene was horrific. It was one thing to watch someone getting stabbed; it was another watching someone get torn to pieces by hands, nails, and teeth.

The pawns, however, were unfazed at this sight. Aiken charged forward at one of the undead and took it down with one swing of his sword. John and Helga stayed behind me, with the former firing arrows and the latter firing balls of fire from her staff. In seeing my comrades fight, I snapped out of my shock, drew out my daggers, and joined in the fray.

"They hate fire!" Helga shouted.

"Burn them!" Aiken joined in.

I stuck my daggers into the shoulders of one zombie and kicked it to the ground. I turned to Helga and shouted, "I don't have any fire on me!"

"I will assist you, Arisen!" Helga shouted back.

My daggers grew warm in my hands and I looked at them. The blades were now glowing orange. I assumed that Helga must have enchanted them. I looked back at the zombie I had kicked down, which was now getting back up, and I plunged my daggers into its back. I pulled the daggers downward and saw that the gashes that they had left behind were being burned by little cinders. The smell of rotten flesh being cooked was probably the most horrid thing that I smelled up to this point. I left the zombie to burn and I went for the next one.

During the fight, I saw that Aiken's great sword was also enchanted with Helga's magic. I also spotted fallen corpses that were covered in flaming arrows, meaning that John's arrows had also been enchanted. With flame enchanted weapons and Helga firing bolts of fire, the battle wasn't that hard.

However, that didn't mean that it was less frustrating.

"Burn it!" Aiken repeated himself at one point.

"Tis weak to fire!" John joined in.

"Fire works well!" Helga said as she was firing another ball of fire at the undead.

I let out a holler of frustration and I took my anger out on the last zombie that was standing. I remembered the creep and I glanced around the room. Unfortunately, he must have snuck off sometime during the fight, as he was no longer here. I groaned and kicked the head of the undead I had just slain. The head detached from the weak sinews of the neck and rolled off towards a door at the back of the room. I now noticed that we were not alone.

Standing at the door was Mason. He looked over the mess of corpses, both old and recent. I was about to ask how he got here when he said, "Quite the sight, that was. Though I s'pose it's the stuff of every day to you, Arisen. I'd thank you to join me a minute."

He turned around and walked through the door. I ran after him, followed by the pawns. We had entered a smaller room and saw that Mason did not wander far off as I originally thought he would. Slumped in one of the corners of the room was one of the creep's followers. He was wounded, but otherwise alive.

"The zealot slipped past, but at least I snared one of them." Mason said as he approached the follower. "A humble prize, sure, but at least he's talktative. No honor among thieves, eh?"

The follower sat up and placed a hand over his stomach. He gave a nervous laugh and said, "'Twas just a lark…all in good fun. I never gave over to that rot about destruction and salvation, never!"

As far as I could tell, the follower's words were sincere. I was about to say something to Mason spoke up again, "Just the same, he'd be trouble if we let him go free, now that he's seen the two of us together."

"Trouble?" I asked. "Why?"

"Wait!" The follower suddenly blurted. He looked at Mason and protested, "You promised me-!" He stood up, only to fall back down.

Mason walked over to me, waved a hand towards the follower, and told me, "He's all yours."

"What-?"

Mason walked towards a small staircase and ascended it. I was about to run after him, but I turned to look at the fallen follower. This person was injured and not hostile, but he was a member of Salvation. I approached him, to which he backed himself against the corner.

"Are you going to kill me, Arisen?" The follower asked.

"I don't see why I would," I stopped my approach, "you're not trying to kill me. I just want to know some things."

"Anything."

"I want you to tell me where that creep went off to."

"Creep?"

"The guy who was preaching all that crap to you lot."

"Oh…he is known as the Elysion. I know naught where he went, Arisen. He most likely went to hiding, or he's meeting with another group."

"Another group?"

"Salvation is everywhere. I am—was, the leader of this group. The Elysion came to teach us the word when you showed up."

"Sounds like you know a lot. Looks like you're coming with us."

"What?" The leader was surprised.

"You know about Salvation, and we were sent to find out about Salvation." I turned to Aiken and told him, "Help me with this guy."

He nodded and he approached the leader. We grabbed his shoulders and hoisted him up. He looked like he was about to fall again, but we kept him steady.

"Oh, bless you, Arisen." The follower gave a sigh of relief. "I promise you, when the end comes-."

"Shut it." I interrupted. "I may be letting you live, but I'm still turning you in."

The leader fell silent. We led him through the walkway where Mason went off to and we soon caught up with him. When he saw that we had the leader in tow, he scowled at me.

"Rather too kind, aren't you…friend?" Mason lowered his voice.

"He's our only link to Salvation," I explained, "plus I think rotting in a cell is a fate worse than death."

"I fear he may tell a little…too much, if you were to turn him in."

Before I could ask, he added, "Shame, and I thought we were going to get along. I'd hope you might assist me further, but I fear you lack the stomach for my work, friend. I'll not have your consciousness 'round my neck for a noose. Our partnership ends here."

He suddenly ran towards the leader and stopped just short of him. The leader gave a grunt and I saw that Mason and stabbed him in the chest with a knife. He gave the knife a twist, causing the leader to cry out in pain, and jerked it out, leaving a messy gash behind. Blood trickled out of the wound and the leader's head and body slumped.

My eyes widened and I turned to Mason. He had a cold look in his eyes and a frown on his face. Without another word, he turned around and walked away from us. I released my hold on the leader's corpse, leaving Aiken to hold him up, and ran at Mason. I let out a shout as I balled up my fist and swung my arm to punch his head.

Mason quickly turned around and swiped at my fist with his knife. The blade cut across my knuckles and I jerked my hand back. I had no time to look at the damage as he kicked me to the ground.

"Master!" Aiken dropped the corpse and ran to my side, as did John and Helga.

Mason turned around once more and started to walk off. I sat up and yelled at him, "Bastard! Why did you kill him?"

He ignored me and continued to walk away. I shouted at him, "Answer me, God damn you!"

My shouts went unheard. Soon, Mason was out of our sights. I gritted my teeth and looked at the wound on my fingers. The blade had cut deep just above the knuckles. I couldn't tell with all the blood welling up, but I thought I saw the whites of my bones. Helga went immediately to work on healing the wound. The calming light of the healing spell worked wonders, as I saw the flesh close itself before my eyes. I wiggled my fingers and, though they were sore, they were still functional.

"Thanks." I muttered as I stood up. I looked back at the fresh corpse of the cult leader. We could have gotten more information from him, could have turned him in, but that chance was now gone. Why did Mason kill him? To add to that: _who_ is Mason? He had a clear reason for killing that man, but I could only guess what that reason may be. He could be trying to hide a secret. With the way he wielded that knife and how he would keep disappearing on us, he might as well be an assassin and he killed that man under orders from someone.

"Are you alright, Arisen?" Aiken asked.

"Why did he do it?" I asked out loud.

"I haven't the faintest idea."

I turned to the direction Mason walked off to. Odds were, he had already left the catacombs. I said to my group, "All we can do now is report back to Maximillian."

"Yes," John spoke up, "tis the best thing we can do for now."

We walked down the rocky corridor and eventually came to a ladder. Luckily Helga had healed my fingers, or I would not be able to climb it. We ascended and found ourselves outside underneath a bridge. Funny how shortcuts work like that. Either way, with a heaviness where my heart used to be filling that empty chest cavity, and ever-chatty pawns at my side, I made my way back to Gran Soren.

* * *

**I had to look up Mason on the Dragon's Dogma wiki since there wasn't much on him in the game itself. "All there in the Manual", as TV Tropes would put it. Next time, the group tackles the last job for the Wyrm Hunt, with the author's extra twist to the quest that's not found in the game.**

Chapter 7: The Merchant (excerpt)

Inside the large room, a group of men in dark blue robes were gathered around in a circle. They were waving their arms about in an exaggerated fashion and chanting ridiculous words that would be hard to spell out on paper. On the side of the room was the corpse of a Cyclops with markings on its body that looked like jellyfish stings.

Somewhere in that room, most likely in the center of the circle of robed men, a woman was shouting, "Let me go! Please, let me go!"

The clues added up and I groaned. Bodies covered in jellyfish stings, consonant-mixed word chanting, blue robes, and a woman begging for release: the people I was seeing in front of me were members of the Cult of Shkuchullhu, and the woman I heard screaming was most likely a sacrifice (usually virginal) to one of the gods of hard to pronounce names.

I guess this hero thing was starting to grow on me, as I felt obligated to save that woman. I looked to the pawns and whispered to them, "Get ready to fight."

They all drew out their weapons. Aiken said, "We are ready when you are, Master."

So now, what was once a mission to survey some ruins has now turned into a rescue mission.


End file.
